


MUGGLEBORN

by 2901god



Category: ITZY (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Hogwarts, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, F/F, Hinapia - Freeform, Loona - Freeform, fromis_9, jiwoo is the devil as she should, minor fromis_9, minor hinapia/pristin, minor loona
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-13
Updated: 2020-05-09
Packaged: 2021-03-02 00:47:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 23,866
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23626354
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/2901god/pseuds/2901god
Summary: Ryujin never thought she’d be a witch, but there she was. She also never thought she’d have to prove herself to a cold girl that seemed to have an inexplicable hatred towards her. Trying to understand Chaeryeong Lee was harder than learning potions, but Ryujin didn’t realize it soon enough.
Relationships: Choi Jisu | Lia/Hwang Yeji, Lee Chaeryeong/Shin Ryujin
Comments: 54
Kudos: 85





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> — That’s my first ITZY fanfic.
> 
> — All of ITZY are in the same year in Hogwarts. 
> 
> — I’m using some canons from Harry Potter’s books, but nothing really important. I just feel like paying a tribute. 
> 
> — English isn’t my first language, so I’m sorry in advance.
> 
> — It would help me a lot if you give it some comments. I want to see what you’re thinking about the plot in general.
> 
> — It’s not going to be a deep story, ok? Just some teenagers having teen problems and falling in love.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The alphabetical order during the sorting ceremony is wrong but I was too lazy to fix that. I’m using their names like this “Ryujin Shin” to fit better in Hogwarts format. Also, I decided to use Julia instead of Jisu for the sake of writing. I need nicknames. Hello Lia :D

As normal as one life could be, at the age of ten Ryujin Shin didn’t have many struggles. She had good parents, her grades weren’t that bad and she spent her time doing the thing she loved the most: dancing. She danced in her house in front of the mirror, with her friends in school and in the dance academy she joined since she was five. Everyone that took a close look wouldn’t see anything out of normal. Well, she didn’t either. However, a few events proved wrong the theory that Ryujin lived (and was about to live) an ordinary life.

One time when she had to separate a fight between her cats, Ryujin got scraped by one of them. It wasn’t a big wound, but it wasn’t a small one either. Yet, a few hours later when her dad got home from work and she was about to show him her injured arm, nothing was there to be seen. The girl didn’t make a fuss; her innocent mind thought it was because she was really healthy. In another occasion, she was really close to fall off her bicycle, but it never happened. Something hold her still and as much it was weird, Ryujin thought it was because she was lucky somehow.

Was that really luck? If you observed the situation with the right eyes, you’d call it magic.

Later on next to her eleventh birthday, a tall woman with a bulky brown hair and green eyes knocked on the Shin’s house door. She seemed to be uncomfortable with the clothes she was using, but that didn’t erase the sweet smile on her face. She invited herself for a cup of tea, looking around with a weird interest. Mr. and Ms. Shin were home that day and they both were suspicious of the other’s presence. Ryujin was confused, to not say the least, but intrigued. The guest had a strange energy, as if she didn’t belong in here.

‘It’s a pleasure to finally meet you, Ryujin Shin!’, said the woman. The thin figure got closer to the girl and leaned over to stay in the same eye level as Ryujin. ‘It’s not everyday we find such a talented witch out there!’, she kept saying with the same smile from before as if announcing that someone is a witch was the most ordinary thing to do in the world. Both Mr. and Ms. Shin exclaimed in shock, pulling Ryujin close to them in a protective motion.

‘I’m sorry, but you can get out of my house.’, Mr. Shin said sharply. His narrowed eyes were searching for an object to throw at the woman if necessary. The stranger put her arms up in a signal of peace and said, ‘wait! Take easy. Let me explain you everything!’ And once the situation was settled the guest introduced herself, “I’m Athena. I’m a professor at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and I came here to tell — oh, yes, and help because you will need — you that your beautiful daughter, Ryujin Shin, is in our book of admissions and has a place in our school.”

Mr. and Ms. Shin weren’t uneducated, but they’ve never heard of such thing before. They thought it was a joke and were ready to, again, put that “professor” out of their house, but the stranger took out of her pocket what seemed to be a wand. Strangely, Ryujin wasn’t scared now. She was rather curious. The girl got closer to the woman right when she slit the air with a gracious hand movement and some shiny balls came out of the object’s nib. Ryujin’s parents exclaimed in awe, but somehow everything started to make sense in the girl’s head. ‘That’s why some weird things happen to me all the time, then’, she pointed out.

After Athena’s visit, Ryujin almost forgot what was dancing. She could only think about Hogwarts and how she was a witch and how she was going to meet others like her. The professor handed her a letter that included her Hogwarts invitation and the list of materials (‘those are such weird things, Ryunjinnie. What are you going to do with a toad?’, cried Ms. Shin but her daughter just laughed it off ‘I can have a cat, mom!’). Athena explained them where to go (‘the Leaky Cauldron’, she said, ‘such a warm place!’), how to get into the Diagon Alley and Gringotts, and also gave them the train’s ticket (‘don’t be afraid, you just have to run forward and you’ll be in the right platform!’). 

Her time in the Diagon Alley was the most exciting thing she’d ever done. The globins in the bank were scaring but exceptional, all the stores and all the people here and there in funny clothes got her wishing she had at least twenty eyes to see and absorb everything. She got to choose a cat (‘Darling, that Siamese one is so beautiful’), beautiful quills and parchments and after a long morning with her parents, she had finally got all of her things ready for Hogwarts. Now Ryujin only needed to wait until September first to finally head out to the school and in the meantime she swore her heart was beating so hard it would rip off her chest. 

Ryujin counted the time and thought that the days came slowly, but finally it was the D-Day. She was already in the platform nine three quarters after the weird sensation of going through that barrier (her parents decided to not go with her; they felt it was an experience she needed to feel herself — in fact they thought they had enough magical experiences for one existence), choosing an empty compartment to put her belongings in. She couldn’t do it by herself, though, so she asked for a tall boy to help her. Once she arranged herself there, the last thing to do was wait for the train to get life. A few minutes later another girl joined her. She had big round eyes and messy bangs and Ryujin thought she was cute, like a giant baby.

‘Hi!’, the stranger introduced herself with a wide smile. ‘My name is Yuna Shin!’, she said and bowed. Ryujin found very funny the fact that the first girl she met had the same surname as her. ‘I’m also Shin, but my name is Ryujin!’, replying with a playful tone she smiled in return. ‘Is it your first time in Hogwarts?’, she asked truly curious. She’d like to know more about the school and magical world.

Yuna was a bright person, to say the last, because her eyes literally shone in excitement and she opened the biggest smile Ryujin had ever seen. ‘Oh! Yes! But my parents went there, so they told me a few things about Hogwarts. I personally think it’s going to be amazing — oh, I hope you think the same way — did you know that Neville Longbottom — THE Longbottom — is still professor there?’ Yuna replied excited and the words flew too fast from her mouth. Ryujin almost couldn’t keep track of all the informations, but she couldn’t help but smile. Yet, she didn’t know a bit of whatever her company was saying. 

‘Oh, I’m sorry. My parents are muggles?’ Ryujin half explained and half asked, trying the last word for the first time; it was rather weird because she felt as if she was cursing her mom and dad. Understanding fell into Yuna’s face and she had now a comforting smile playing in her lips. ‘Well, you are with the right person, then!’, she said with her right arm up to the roof as if she was a superhero. ‘I’m going to tell you everything you need to know!’

With that Ryujin knew she was in the right hands, sort of. Yuna Shin was a pleasant company and she certainly would make a great friend. After talking the whole way until Hogwarts, they probably knew a lot about each other and Ryujin was feeling calmer than before now that she knew at least what quidditch was. When they arrived in the platform already in the surroundings of the school, students were babbling here and there but went silent when a giant man — almost a literal giant — full of a shaggy black hair in his face and head came next to them. ‘First years with me, please!’, he called out.

The way to the castle was amazing, Ryujin thought. The boats that flowed peacefully by themselves through the lake was nothing compared to the great construction that it was the castle. Ryujin and Yuna, together with two other boys, were stunned by the view. The small and shiny windows and all the towels gave the impression that, yes, Hogwarts was the biggest and most safest place out of the magical world. Finally in the underground pier, the first years where now headed to the insides of the castle. 

What came next was slow, but nerve wrecking. The sorting hat, as explained the deputy headmistress, would sort them into the four houses (because of Yuna, Ryujin already knew them): Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin. She didn’t liked or disliked any of them, but if she had to choose Hufflepuff wouldn’t be a bad choice. They entered the Great Hall already full of students and, one by one, the first years were sorted into their houses. Applauses and screams followed every student and Ryujin was so excited to be part of all of that. The girl was dumbfounded by the structure of that place, the ceiling opened (later she would discover it was just magic to look like the stars) to the night sky and thousand of floating candles were lightening up the hall.

‘Shin, Yuna!’, the deputy called once Hyejoo Son was settled in the Slytherin table and that brought Ryujin back from her thoughts. She gave a brief squeeze in Yuna’s hand, that smiled (she was always smiling) and seemed to be reassured that everything would end up well. Ryujin was excited for her friend, too. Even though Yuna already knew a lot about the magical world, it was also a fresh start to her. The hat didn’t take long in the girl’s head.

‘GRYFFINDOR!’, it shouted. Yuna had the biggest smile on her face and she almost ran to join the far right table where people in red and gold cheered for her. Ryujin felt like her legs were jelly and her heart was pounding in her ears. The experience of dancing in front of the school when she was eight years old was nothing compared to that. And finally, the deputy headmaster announced her name.

‘Shin, Ryujin!’

The girl tried her best to not fall in the way to sit in the stool. When the hat was put in her head, the only thing Ryujin could see was the dark of its intern side. Suddenly it spoke to her, making the girl jump in place.  
‘Oh, what a great heart you have. Hmm, and I can see how hard you work. Friendship seems really important, huh? Always trying to be your better self. Hmmm, interesting — but yet would it be right if I put you on Gryffindor? — I can see how your values are stick to you — ok, I know the answer — HUFFLEPUFF’, the hat shouted the last word to everybody hear. Ryujin couldn’t lie, she felt a bit disappointed because she’d stay away from Yuna, but when she saw all of the Hufflepuff’s members with big and warm smiles, she felt like home. In a jolt she joined them, students giving her their hands for a shake and some even hugged her. 

The ceremony came to an end a few minutes later. Ryujin was happy and from afar she saw Yuna waving, trying to get her attention. ‘Let’s talk tomorrow!’, the girl shouted in silence and Ryujin could read her lips, giving her a thumbs up and an ‘ok!’ in response right when another student in Yuna’s table entered in her view. Her eyes were really small and somehow naive and she had the hair in a ponytail. Sit side by side with Yuna, they exchanged a few words before she looked at Ryujin and waved too. The now Hufflepuff smiled back.

‘Oh my Merlin, all this food!’, the girl in her right said in a delightful voice. She was Julia Choi, if Ryujin remembered well, and her face was really small. It was cute. The student that was in front of them had the biggest smile. Her surname was Choi too, but the two weren’t related. Also, Yerim Choi looked like the sun herself. ‘I think I never had this amount of food in my life’, she told them and didn’t take any longer to start eating. Ryujin was amazed by the cooking and because she didn’t want to be left behind, she started eating like there was no tomorrow (they didn’t have to make it clear that they were in a healthy battle of who could eat more, but they sure were!). When the heat of the moment came to an end and they were now more talking than eating, she got to know more about her colleagues. Julia’s dad was a muggle but her mom was a witch whilst Yerim had all of her family members as wizards and witches. The ambient was never awkward and Ryujin was thankful for that.

Time passed and soon enough they were done with the desserts. One of the prefects from their house stood up after the Headmistress’ speech and warnings, telling them to follow her to their common room. Ryujin was sleepy and her body was craving for her bed, so she really didn’t paid much attention to the path they were following. The only thing she knew is that she was pretty sure they were close to the kitchen or something like that. Part of the girl’s mind knew she’d have trouble in finding her classes tomorrow.

‘Oh, I wish I could apparate in our room right now’, Yerim muttered and Julia laughed a little. Ryujin didn’t understand, but she sure was too tired to ask any more questions. Not soon enough they entered their common room and the prefect pointed the directions to the female and male dormitories. Ryujin noted that all of their belongings were already there and she was more than happy to see her cat (decided to name him Milky Way) waiting for her. She scratched behind his ears a little and right after put her pajamas on, already dozing off when she lay down in her downy bed.

It was a dreamless sleep and Ryujin Shin had her heart in the right place that night. The fear of not getting used to the school’s rules or the new world she was living now was far behind in her head.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please, spare some comments!


	2. Hogsmead

‘Chaeryeong is looking weirdly at you again’, Julia murmured without looking at Ryujin. They were studying in the library for what seemed ages and, more than once, Julia poked Ryujin in her ribs to make that comment. The girl sighed in response, trying her best to not look at the ravenclaw student sitting a few tables nearby them in the library. ‘It’s awkward’, concluded Lia.

The situation was getting out of hand. Ryujin could say she had a peaceful first year, but now two months into the second and she was already getting too many headaches because of Chaeryeong Lee. She didn’t know why, but the rather fragile girl didn’t seem to like Ryujin at all. The hufflepuff wondered why. 

‘I think I’m going to talk to her’, Ryujin announced full of confidence, getting ready to boost from her seat. Julia otherwise looked at her funny, not really buying that idea. She said carefully, ‘do you know what people say about her, right? She’s cute and all until she opens her mouth and end you in one sentence’. With that, Ryujin blew out the air she was holding and put her face in her hands, groaning in frustration. That wasn’t really fair, she thought. 

‘What did I do to her, though? As far as I remember, we only had Potions and Charms together this year.’ Ryunjin whined, pouting a little. She wasn’t used to people disliking her, to be honest. The girl didn’t understand why, but everybody seemed to have adopted her because of her personality. What she didn’t know was that because of the fact that she did pretty well at almost everything she tried to (enchantments, transfiguration, potions, flying, even got some points to her house in History of Magic — and she didn’t like History at all) people started to find her really enchanting. She was funny, the amusing type of funny. Her friends and colleagues always wanted to have her around because she was always into something. A few of them, those who didn’t know much about muggles, were always stunned by how a girl born and raised outside the wizarding world could do so well in Hogwarts. Sometimes Ryujin wondered it too, but things always felt so natural that she didn’t give it much thought. But without her knowledge, she was standing out among the students.

‘Maybe she’s just jealous of you, I guess’, Julia said with an empathetic smile. Ryujin made a skeptic face at those words, knowing it was impossible for Chaeryeong Lee to be jealous of her in any way. However, she couldn’t help but smile back after a few moments. She knew Lia for just over a year, but already loved her friendship. She was a caring friend. ‘Let’s go. We need to meet Yuna and Yeji before dinner’, she spoke again while arranging her books and parchments together. 

‘Oh, finally! I miss those weirdos’, Ryujin exclaimed (she gave an apologetic smile to the students next to her at the volume of her words) and felt excitement run through her body. Chaeryeong was long forgotten at the mention of her two friends. ‘I bet they got into trouble again trying to sneak out to the lake to find merpeople’, she said playfully, putting her materials inside her bag. Julia giggled and gave her friend a side hug, already moving to the exit. 

‘I hope not. Last time Mr. Filch almost locked them in the dungeon. For real.’

Their walking to the Great Hall was full of chit chat. They met a few colleagues in the way and greeted them, smiled to the ghosts and took a few minutes to speak with Fat Friar. They also tried their best to not end up in the middle of the Slytherin convo down the staircase. When they were passing by, a girl with a triangle shaped mouth and wolf-like eyes shoved her tough friend out of her side. ‘Get off, Hyunjin. You’re annoying me’, Hyejoo hissed and Hyunjin looked like she was about to kill her. A thin small figure with blonde hair clapped in excitement; she seemed to be enjoying the confront. Julia watched the scene concerned because she never knew if they were being serious or not. Ryujin otherwise looked at them amused. ‘Chaewon never gets tired, does she?’, Ryujin asked trying to suppress a giggle. 

Finally inside the Great Hall, they walked to the Gryffindor table to meet Yuna and Yeji. They were excluded from the members of their house, murmuring to each other with mischievous eyes. Ryujin could sense that the both of them were planning to get in trouble and rolled her eyes. The gryffindor students were so focused that they didn’t see the pair getting close and that was the perfect chance for Ryujin to scare them out. Breaking free of Julia’s embrace, she jumped on them, yelled and both girls got startled in their places; Yeji put her hand in her chest certain that she was having a heart attack and Yuna gave Ryujin a few small punches. Behind them, Julia bursted into laughter. ‘You are always messing around, but can’t stand a small prank’, she provoked. Turning around the table, Julia sat down in front of them. Ryujin did the same motion trying her best to stop laughing. ‘They’re such impostors. I’m pretty sure all the stories they told us about the Dark Forest were just lies’, she egged on. After that the quartet started laughing. It was such a pleasant time when they were together. 

Yuna had a long and reddish hair that year (she decided to change for something more outstanding) and Yeji had an also long hair, but brown and she was always using it in a ponytail. That day, however, she decided to put it down and Ryujin thought the girl looked better that way. She always liked to praise her friends and that’s what she did, wishing she could take a picture of Yeji in that moment. ‘You look beautiful today, Yeji’. Julia joined her right after, nodding. One of her favorites hobbies was to babble about the gryffindor girl. ‘Right? I was thinking the same.’ Yeji’s cheeks were painted with pink and the girl put her hands on her face to hide how embarrassed she was. 

‘Yaaah!! — me too! — I didn’t spent my precious time searching for a spell to dye my hair for nothing!’ Yuna croaked and they giggled.

‘You are beautiful too, Yuna’, Yeji said this time in a serious voice before giving her a sly smile.

‘But tell us — I don’t really think I want to know, though — what are you girls up to?’ Ryujin asked, resting her head in her hand. As if Yuna and Yeji were waiting for the opportunity to speak about their plans, they straightened themselves and gave the hufflepuff duo maughty smiles. That was sign of danger, if Ryujin’d be honest.

‘You know how the third year is going to Hogsmead this weekend, right? We don’t think it’s fair we don’t get to join them, so we’re going too!’ Yeji explained in a burst of pride at her own words. She really felt she was a mastermind, it was funny. Julia frowned, already unease at the thought.

‘And how you exactly plan to do it?’ Julia asked, crossing her legs below the table. She always did that when she was concerned about Yeji. Ryujin put one hand in her left thigh, squeezing it to give her some comfort. 

‘I’m so glad you asked!’, it was Yuna’s time to speak and they turned their attention to her. She took out of her intern pocket a piece of parchment. Ryujin tried her best to read what was written, but what interested — and worried — her the most was the Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes logo. She groaned, already getting ready for the information that was coming next. ‘Do you guys know Victoire Weasley, right? Last summer she asked us a little favor — don’t ask me any other detail — I’m being serious — and here we are, hehe. That’s her payment.’ Yuna continued her explanation. ‘It’s a map of the secret passage to go to Hogsmead, with explanation and tips, made by her uncle himself. That’s how we are — both of you included — going there.’ She finished with a slightly bow, holding a questionable confidence. Then remembering an important information, she finished the monologue in a low tone so one could hear them. ‘It is forbidden, thought. When professor McGonagall knew that the Weasleys were selling it at their shop she got mad, MAD.’ 

‘I’m good, thank you. I will until next year so I can officially go to Hogsmead. Don’t wanna get into trouble’, Lia almost shouted. Her lips were in a thin line and a few students looked in their direction. She really disliked breaking rules, even though she always ended up going with them, anyway. Yuna gave the people around them an apologetic smile and looked at her friend in disapproval. Ryujin was way more flexible about going on adventures, but even her was holding herself back this time. Finally, when all of them stayed silent for what seemed ages trying to get to a mutual agreement, Yeji made a pout and her eyes shone more than the normal. And there it was, the aegyo that Julia would never resist. 

‘Please, Lia. You know how much I — we — love your company.’ Yeji said with baby voice. Julia tried to resist and looked to the other side of the hall. ‘No,’ she said firmly, ‘I am not going.’ With that, Yeji got up to sit by the girl’s side. Hugging her tightly, they ended up in their own world full of whines and mumbling. Ryujin watched that scene with raised eyebrows and wondered if they’d end up dating. She knew that existed something odd about the way they treated each other, but it was none of her business after all. Turning her attention to Yuna — that was observing the situation with a disgusting expression — she asked, ‘anyway, don’t you think people will miss us?’

‘Well, probably, but Hogwarts is huge. We can just pretend we were studying in an empty classroom or whatever’, Yuna answered. ‘Also, Jiwoo is going to help us there. She’s more excited than us to this little adventure.’ Jiwoo was a Gryffindor student in her third year and she always ended up helping Yuna and Yeji to get out of troubles by also joining them. No one never really believed she could be a troublemaker because of her cute antics, so when she was with the second year duo, they always got rid of detentions. Ryujin got shocked one time when they told her that Jiwoo spent some nights in the tower’s roof instead of her bed. How and why she did that? No one really knew. 

Finally, Julia and Yeji realised they weren’t alone and withdrew of each other’s embrace. Yuna made vomit sounds and Yeji just stuck out her tongue at the sight. Lia was slightly embarrassed, but her smile was too big so she didn’t seem to care. Ryujin gave her a sided look, smirking just a little, and Julia sighed knowing too well that her friend wouldn’t let her live with all the “Yeji and Lia dating, Yeji and Lia dating” thing. 

The girls finally agreed to go to Hogsmead following the map steps. After all, they truly wanted to visit the village and Ryujin, who was always into learning more about magic, felt herself growing excited with the future experience. By when it was dinner time, the hufflepuff students departed to join their own table and ate all the food with extreme pleasure; their minds never leaving the upcoming adventure (at least Ryujin’s. Julia was probably too busy thinking about Yeji). When it was time for desserts, Ryujin allowed herself to talk to some of her colleagues. Her favorite person ever was Kahei Wang, actual Hogwart’s Head Girl. She was always so sweet and caring; Ryujin really looked forward her a lot. Whilst talking to her, the girl’s attention was drew to the Ravenclaw table were some boys were laughing out loud. But instead of looking at the source of the fuss, her eyes locked in Chaeryeong’s for only a few seconds. The ravenclaw student had a cold expression resting in her face, an expression that made Ryujin’s stomach do an uncomfortable twitch. The hufflepuff remembered the weird interaction earlier that night and felt her mood fell. Not really feeling like eating anymore, she excused herself and got up to go to the dormitory. 

‘Hey! Wait — ok, I’ll just take a slice of this — I’m going with you!’, Julia said with a huge piece of pudding in her hands. Ryujin was thankful for her friend, because Lia didn’t ask any questions when they got in their room. She knew that the girl liked to be alone with her own thoughts when she acted like that. When it was late and all of her roommates were already sleeping, Ryujin got up to look at the night sky. She couldn’t let go the feeling that Chaeryeong didn’t seem to like her at all. She was pretty sure that she never gave the ravenclaw student a reason to feel so. For sure, one thing that hurt the girl the most was to know that she was disappointing someone, somehow. 

Maybe she should try and talk to her, maybe not. Maybe Ryujin could show Chaeryeong that she was worth of her good feelings instead of those cold looks, right? She always saw Chaeryeong as someone really impressive and interesting. She even tried to impress her in Charms!

In their first year, everybody talked about the Lee sisters. Chaeyeon was two years older, but both of them were quite famous in the wizarding world. At first Ryujin didn’t understand why because they seemed to be ordinary students, but both girls were known because of their artistic side. All magic people knew how talented they were and in presentations of enchanted dance at weddings, parties or ceremonials, they were always invited as the main act. That leaned them to be popular in Hogwarts. At least Chaeyeon seemed to be.

Ryujin always had an interest in dance (she even considered herself a good dancer) and when she knew it was a thing in the magical world too, she couldn’t help but literally “follow” Chaeryeong everywhere because they had something in common and Ryujin needed to feel connected with someone because she missed her home and old life. Yet, the girl was always quiet and didn’t seem to be outgoing and open to conversations. Since they didn’t have any class together in the first year (Hufflepuff and Gryffindor were paired that year, much for Yuna and Ryujin’s delight), Ryujin had no chance to get close to her. In the second year she got hopeful that they could be friends... just to be disappointed. Chaeryeong was smart and always replied to all professors’ questions and if you didn’t know her background, you’d think she was only another clever student from Ravenclaw; but Ryujin wanted to be noticed, so she gave her best to be seen by the girl in classes. Soon enough the hufflepuff student realised things weren’t going as planned and then she gave up, kind of. She got new friends and was always surrounded by people that truly liked her. Sometimes she could even forget Chaeryeong, because Ryujin herself was creating her own character in Hogwarts. In another times, she still felt a bit annoyed that she wasn’t friends with the ravenclaw student.

Chaeryeong never gave her even the smallest of the smiles.

With her body betraying her, a yawn escaped her lips and Ryujin understood that it was time to get some sleep. Milky Way lay down besides her, giving the girl some comfort after those turbulent thoughts. Her eyelids felt heavy and in no time, the girl was taken by the dreamland. The last thing that crossed her mind was that she needed to figure out why Chaeryeong disliked her.

[...]

Finally the weekend had came and Ryujin, Julia, Yeji and Yuna were surrounding the students that would visit Hogsmead that day. Yuna tried one last time to go with them, but the deputy headmistress clearly showed no sign of approval. The gryffindor sighed sadly (a fake sigh, her friends knew) and joined the other three to watch the departure of the students. Jiwoo Kim looked at them and her sweet smile confronted the wink she gave the quartet. Ryujin couldn’t understand how that innocent figure could have such a naughty soul, but she wasn’t complaining.

‘Ok! Let’s go. We need to get to Gunhilda of Gorsemoor’s statue’, Yuna said and they all started to walk towards that place. Students could be seen here and there since it was finally their day off and the girls tried their best to not attract attention and don’t look like they were about to do something wrong. When they got to their destination, a few ravenclaws was about to cross the girls’ way. Ryujin noticed that Chaeryeong was with them from afar, so she worked on her best smile. Finally looking at each other, the only response Ryujin got was a stern expression followed by a intrigued one after Chaeryeong realized that the four of them were together in such an unexpected place. Yet, she didn’t stop and kept walking with her colleagues. When they turned down the corridor, Yeji found herself staring the woman made of marble.

‘Do you think she understood what we’re about to do?’, worried Yuna. Ryujin frowned and answered: ‘She had a face, but let’s make it quick so they don’t come back here.’

‘What was the word again?’ Yeji asked while analyzing the statue. Julia grunted and put herself in front of it when Yuna was about to take the map out of her pants’ pocket.

‘I’m kinda regretting it now’, she was jaded, but said the password anyway. ‘Dissendium!’ It didn’t take long for the hump on the witch’s statue reveal an small slide opening to a dark tunnel. The girls ran to get in, feeling themselves excited. Behind them the statue came back to normal and all four pull out their wand, their voices in unison: ‘lumos!’

The secret passage would lead them directly to the cellar of Honeyducks Sweetshop, where Jiwoo would be waiting to cover them up. They had brought some hoodies to cover their face a little, but an older friend of Jiwoo would make some face transfiguration so people couldn’t really identify them in Hogsmead. Julia was extremely worried about that part. 

After what seemed one hour, they got to the cellar. There was no one there and they were grateful for that. Trying their best to not make any sound, the quartet slowly came out from the tunnel. The girls tried to get rid of the dust in their clothes, but they didn’t have time: a stair to freedom waited for them. It cracked under their feet and Ryujin prayed that they wouldn’t end up falling. Finally they were behind the main door and Yuna opened it just enough to reach out for Jiwoo with a few colored bubbles that came out of a movement of her wand. Hopefully the older girl was there to see get signal.

But not even a minute later, she heard Jiwoo’s scream ‘OH MY GOD, IS THAT AN UNICORN IN THE MIDDLE OF HOGSMEAD?’. Yeji tried not to laugh and after they heard all the steps going to the right, Yuna fully opened the door, getting out of the cellar just in time to see everybody looking through the window in curiosity. 

‘Come on,’ Yuna murmured, ‘Jiwoo’s friend is going to meet us in the back of the shop.’ They rushed to the designated place and met someone they weren’t expecting at all. There she was, in all of her glory: Sooyoung Ha. 

‘I believe you are Jiwoo’s friends, right?’ she asked with a breathtaking smile. Then continued, ‘let’s make it quick’. A few movements from her wand and each girl felt their faces burn and hurt. Julia was literally crying. In the background they could hear Jiwoo saying ‘I swear it was there!’ The girls exchanged apprehensive looks and Sooyoung went faster with her transfiguration because that meant that people were going to be back to the shop. A few more seconds and Sooyoung had finished with all of them. ‘That might work, but help yourselves out and put your hoodies on.’ With one last smile, she gave the girls her back and suddenly became very interested in Cauldron Cakes. The four students did what they were instructed to finally be able to enjoy their time in Hogsmead.

‘For the sake of Merlin, please stay away from other students and professors’, Ryujin pleaded and her friends gave her a reassuring nod; Julia didn’t need to be told twice. She was starting to regret her life’s decisions after all the pain she went through just a few moments ago. 

The students sneaked out of the shop to the cold air of Hogsmead with smiles trying to appear in their lips. It didn’t take long to the quartet burst into laughter when they gave themselves a closer look, examining all of their new features. Yeji had big eyes and meaty lips while Yuna had small eyes and a big mouth. Julia’s face had a square shape now and her eyes were really far from each other. Ryujin hair was longer for the first time in awhile and she had a hooked nose and a large face. They never felt this happy to be so ugly and it yielded them a good amount of reasons to make fun of each other. Sooyoung really did a good job, Ryujin thought, because aside the most visible features, their faces were built up to really look different from their real ones.

After all, say that the girls had the best time of their lives was an understatement. They never had so much fun like they had in Hogsmead and Ryujin could feel nothing but grateful for her friends and her life in the wizarding world. Were in times like these that she didn’t miss muggle life. They drank butter beer, played and used all possible things in the Zonko’s Joke Shop (Julia was desperate while trying to stop Yuna and Yeji from buying dungbomb — they bought it anyway), played in the snow and Ryujin pulled some pranks in her friends saying that the last one to get to the Tomes and Scrolls and find the heaviest book would have to break into the Shrieking Shack. Of course they didn’t go there, but the fear in their eyes made Ryujin’s stomach hurt from laughter. 

After a few hours, Jiwoo railed them in the corner of one of the pubs. ‘We’re almost leaving. Get ready to go to back, the shop is nearly empty. I can distract the owner by myself’, she said quickly and headed to Honeyducks Sweetshop. The quartet couldn’t help but feel a little disappointed because they had so much fun and time went by too fast. Yet, they rushed to the store and when they were already inside the establishment, Sooyoung stopped them just to, almost sightless, undo the transfiguration. ‘Finite incantatem’ she muttered under her breath. Once her work was done, the fifty year waved to the quartet. Ryujin still thought how weird it was that Sooyoung Ha was helping them, but she guessed it was the perks of getting Jiwoo’s hand in this.

Jiwoo herself was having a hearty conversation with the man in the balcony (he was with his back turned to the quartet), so the girls used the opportunity to slide behind the counter and open the main door quietly. They exchanged a grateful look with the joyful girl (she gave them a sly grin, of course) and went straight to the cellar. Ryujin opened the trapdoor and wait for all of her friends to get in before herself got into the tunnel. 

The gloom of the passage was almost comforting and they started laughing. It was hard to believe that they did such a risky thing just for the sake of fun. Finally, they lightened up their wands and started walking.

‘I’m so happy we did this’, Yeji said excitedly. Her cheeks hurt from how big her smile was. All of them agreed. ‘I can’t believe we didn’t get caught, though. It’s the craziest thing I’ve ever done in my life.’

‘Right? I kinda was expecting we would, I’m going to be honest’, Yuna said.

‘If we did, I’d kill all of you. I’m glad Sooyoung and Jiwoo helped us, even though my face still hurts’, Julia whined and made a pout. Yeji used that to gave her a side hug. 

‘I’m happy we have our normal features too. I missed your pretty face’, Yeji said to Lia, that had gone red in embarrassment under the light of their wands. ‘Oh, wait. That sounded weird’, she excused herself right after, but the two others didn’t seem to listen.

‘I can’t believe I heard this’, Ryujin rolled her eyes while complaining. Yuna groaned and added to the comment, ‘you’re so disgusting. Please, stay away from me. We are not friends anymore.’

They did their way back to the castle joking and fighting each other, as usual, and the walking didn’t take so long like last time because they had light hearts now. Fear of being caught hardly came close to them at this point. Once they got to the end of the tunnel, Yeji and Yuna put their ears in the marble to listen if there was somebody outside and, a few distant steps later, they felt they were safe to get out. Julia said the password again and the statue opened itself to the castle’s corridor. One by one, they got off the tunnel. 

‘I’m so glad nothing happened to us’, Yeji said relieved, but following the popular saying: things were too good to be true.

Turning around in the end of the corridor, Chaeryeong was accompanied by Jason Elliot, a ravenclaw and also Head Boy of Hogwarts. The quartet froze, their hearts shrinking more and more at each step the older boy gave to get near them. 

‘Can I have a good explanation for why did I just see the four of you getting out of a secret passage?’ He asked harshly. None of them dared to open their mouths and Chaeryeong had a triumphant expression that made Ryujin’s heart feel even heavier. She knew it was because of her and now all of her friends were in trouble. ‘I really don’t want to figure it out myself, you know, because the results are going to be worse if I need to.’ He said slowly. ‘Chaeryeong made me wait here for so long. You really pissed me off.’

Ryujin couldn’t let that happen. 

‘It was my fault. I heard some students talking about a secret passage and I tried to check it myself. My friends came with me because I dared them, it was a prank. After all, we got lost and I needed to do the Four-Point spell to find our way back. That’s why it took us so long.’ One of the things Ryujin liked the most about herself was that she was always a fast thinker. The hufflepuff didn’t know how, but all the words came smoothly and sincerely from her lips. At least she hoped it did, because she couldn’t let her friends be blamed on that. Four-Point spell? She didn’t even remember when she read about that, but it was surely useful now (not for its right purpose, though). When the other three started to protest because she was letting herself to be the only guilty, Ryujin shut the girls up with a gesture of her right hand. ‘You don’t need to lie to cover me. It’s ok.’

Ryujin looked straight at Chaeryeong this time, the triumphant expression she had earlier was long gone. Ryujin really wanted to understand what was going through the other’s mind, but the ravenclaw student looked away. She had an indecipherable face now.

‘I know you, Ryujin Shin, and I’m disappointed.’ Jason said; apparently he bought her lie or didn’t want to get lost in the tunnels, which could have been a reason to why he didn’t keep asking her more questions. ‘Because of your reputation, I will believe you — Four-Point spell? That’s pretty advanced for you age — but twenty points are going to be discounted from Hufflepuff because of your behavior. Don’t let me catch you again.’ His voice was a lot calmer now, but it still had a slightly harsh tone. ‘You’re also going to clean up all the trophies in the Trophy Room. I’ll send you an owl with day and time, do you understand me?’

‘Yes, Jason. I am sorry.’ 

‘Ok, then. Go to your common rooms.’ He ordered and turned his back to them, walking away. Yuna and Yeji gave Ryujin an apologetic look muttering “we’ll meet you later” and went to the Gryffindor tower, which was in the opposite side of the Hufflepuff’s common room. Chaeryeong stayed there frozen, looking at the ground. 

‘I don’t know what I did to you, but never in your life put my friends in this situation again. Your problem is with me, not them.’ Ryujin was angry and she didn’t like to feel that way. Chaeryeong finally raised her head and there was something in her expression that made Ryujin feel sorry in a distant place in her heart. The ravenclaw student was visible trying to make herself steady, but her body was shaking and she was nervous.

‘STAY IN YOUR PLACE, THEN. DON’T PUT YOUR NOSE IN BUSINESS THAT DOESN’T CONCERN YOU, MUGGLEBORN.’ Chaeryeong yelled and ran away. The words had a bitter taste in her mouth. 

‘What the hell?’, Julia asked furious following the the girl with her eyes (thinking if she should go after her and spell her somehow), but all of the range died when she heard Ryujin let out a loud sob. She she turned around to see that her friend was already crying. ‘Hey, hey! Why’s that?’ Lia got close and pulled her into a tight hug.

‘I’m so’, Ryujin sobbed, ‘f-frustrated.’

‘It’s ok. You’re going to be ok.’ Lia said with a soothing voice. They stayed there for a few minutes before Ryujin started to calm down. ‘Can you walk to the dorm?’ Julia asked. The girl in her embrace nodded and the pair finally did its way to Hufflepuff’s common room.

Ryujin never felt like that before and she didn’t even understand the reason.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I guess you can have a better idea now of what’s happening and the main plot :D


	3. Vera Verto

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> • The next day wasn’t as tough as Ryujin thought it would be. How is she going to deal with her feelings?
> 
> • Also, get to know more about Sooyoung Ha and why she was able to do a great transfiguration even in her fifth year (well, just a few infos).
> 
> • Where is Chaeryeong? Read the notes at the end! I have an important question.
> 
> • Just daily Hogwarts life so we can get close to the wizarding world again.
> 
> • HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE BABIEST BABIES OF ALL TIME, SHIN RYUJIN. Wish her happy birthday or I’m going to curse you

Muggleborn. Muggleborn. Muggleborn. The words didn’t stop repeating themselves in Ryujin’s head. She felt lost, confused even, with all the new feelings causing her an inner stir. She still remembered Julia’s attempt to calm her down. ‘Muggleborn isn’t a bad thing, you know. It’s just your origin’, she had said with a fondness that Ryujin didn’t think it was possible. But that didn’t help her at all; it wasn’t because of the word itself, but the hatred in Chaeryeong’s voice. It was killing the hufflepuff student to not know the origin of that.

Ryujin was laying down in her bed, curtains closed, with puffy eyes from all the crying. She heard some sound in her right side, probably Julia getting ready to go to bed, and in a moment of extreme despair, Ryujin called her friend with a brittle voice. ‘Lia?’

‘Yes?’ The answer came not even a second later, as if she was expecting she’d be called. Ryujin felt her heart aches at the thought of how caring her friend was. 

‘Can you make me some company today?’, she baby-talked. Then the curtains moved a little and Julia’s body materialized at her bed’s foot. She had a comforting smile; it made her eyes curve as crescent moons. Ryujin has had this weird habit of needing physical reassurance since younger, when one of her cats died and she couldn’t sleep alone at all. Usually her mother would stay with her, but she was far away now and Ryujin didn’t think she’d be able to spend that night all by herself and her thoughts. And to her delight, Julia just made herself comfortable by her side without saying a single word. 

They stayed like that for almost five minutes, no one daring to break the silence. It was clear that Julia was trying her best to give her friend some space, to not pry her to talk any further. Ryujin was thankful for that, because her thoughts were too loud and confused and she knew she wouldn’t be able to say something that made sense. But Lia couldn’t handle silence very well, so she just turned to lay on her side, facing Ryujin. ‘I hope you don’t make a big deal of Chaeryeong. I don’t know why she is acting like that, but she clearly doesn’t know you at all. You have a lot of people that care about you, ok? Just ignore her’, Lia muttered so no one could hear them.

Ryujin couldn’t push herself to answer such words, so she just nodded without staring at her friend. She closed her eyes and let out a heavy sigh. Julia was right, of course, but why it dogged her so much to the edge? One thing Ryujin was sure: she felt sad that someone could feel such feelings towards her. 

‘Maybe I should show her that I’m worthy’, finally said Ryujin. She showed no confidence, but it was the best she could do to fight the feelings. Lia frowned her eyebrows not really sure if it was the right decision, but she knew her friend too well to know that that was just a coping way Ryujin found to deal with conflicts: overwork herself to be perfect. 

‘Just… don’t hurt yourself, ok?’, Lia replied. They both knew she wasn’t talking about getting physically hurt. Ryujin nodded again and opened her eyes. This time she looked at her friend, a smile almost making itself present.

‘Can you hug me?’ she asked with a pout. Julia rolled her eyes but got closer, putting her right arm on Ryujin’s stomach and her face in her shoulder. 

‘You’re a giant baby. Wait till I tell Yeji and Yuna that you needed me to sleep!’ joked Lia, causing Ryujin to grumble at her and push her a little. 

‘You’re evil!’, Ryujin whined but after all, they chuckled a little. ‘Don’t tell them, though. They won’t let me live’, mumbled Ryujin and Julia just gave her a little squeeze to show she probably wouldn’t tell. They slept like that, afterwards. Both of them happy at the warmth of their bodies.

The next day when they were eating breakfast and Yuna and Yeji came to the Hufflepuff’s table before classes to check on Ryujin, the first thing Julia said was that her friend needed her to sleep. It was a pity that the hufflepuff student wasn’t as fast as Ryujin, because she couldn’t even run a few meters before being hit by at least 5 sausages. Ryujin struggled to stay still, whining that the gryffindor duo would mock her and giving Julia small punches. Yuna found it very funny and Yeji tried her best to not show it, but she was rather jealous. 

Finally when the situation was settled, the quartet had to run or they’d be late for classes. Gryffindor’s second years would have potions with Slytherin’s (‘Gotta get Hyejoo and Chaewon to join our club’, Yuna announced happily when they were walking side by side. Julia sighed and said, ‘you will never give me a break, right?’ Then Yuna replied to her, ‘you bet, shortie’ and Ryujin had to drag Lia up the staircase to their Transfiguration class or her friend would end up cursing the gryffindor).

They shared the same table and were waiting for professor McGonagall to show up, but instead of the headmistress, they were met with Sooyoung Ha looking way to beautiful that early in the morning. Ryujin really got some feelings (just that usual teenager crush), even more after the fifth year was so natural about helping them in Hogsmead. She wondered how Jiwoo and her ended up befriend each other, because they seemed too different.

‘I hope everyone had a great Sunday’, her voice was modulated and sounded like harmonic bells in Ryujin’s head. Julia poked her in the ribs, smirking at the thought of how they slept last night. The girl just rolled her eyes, interested to know why professor McGonagall wasn’t there (and to listen to more of Sooyoung’s voice). ‘Our headmistress had to solve some problems in the Ministry of Magic and asked me to help you with some exercises, if that is ok to all of you’, she continued and looked expectantly to the students. Ryujin looked around too just to see the dreamy faces on most of them; she wasn’t the only one that found Sooyoung endearing, after all.

‘Hmm, I need an answer…’

‘Yes! Of course! It’s ok!’ They hurried up to answer her after waking up of their torpor. She chuckled a little before taking the register and the class heavily breathed in unison.

‘Well, at least we already know she’s up to the job’, Ryujin muttered and Julia couldn’t help but chuckle. She remembered too well of how much in pain she felt while the older transfigurated her face in Hogsmead. ‘I didn’t know she had such prestige with professor McGonagall, though. Imagine being your headmistress’ favorite?’ It was funny, of course, because that position didn’t stop Sooyoung from helping them to sneak out yesterday.

‘It’s pretty cool, but her reputation precedes her. All of her family works in the field. It’s in her genes by now’, Julia replied. Everybody was aware of how the Ha family made business of transfiguration (unfortunately not only in a good way. People said that they worked in the muggle world as fake surgeons to do plastic surgery and all, but used magic instead) and, not too different from her kin, Sooyoung was Hogwarts’ number one student in it. Probably it came to a point that the studies provided by the school’s curriculum weren’t enough, so professor McGonagall was teaching the gryffindor herself. 

‘Choi, Julia’, the fifth year student said and looked at the pair when Julia raised her hand. When she met their eyes, she opened a smile and shook her head as if someone had told her a good joke. Well, the girls did felt special at the fact that they had, somehow, an intern joke with Sooyoung Ha.

The class went pretty calm. She didn’t teach them nothing new, just helped with the exercises professor McGonagall had gave them last time. She corrected the students here and there, showing how steady and precisely they should hold their wands when doing the necessary three taps.

‘Let’s see you, Ms Shin. One, two, three and then Vera Verto’, Sooyoung said when approaching the duo. Julia looked at her friend empathetically, knowing she wouldn’t get it right. Ryujin cleared her throat, straightened herself and held her wand as steady as she could, looking at the rat in front of her. She exhaled slowly before giving three confident taps in the rodent, pointing right after at the animal. But instead of doing it sharply, at the end her wand made a minimal circular movement.

‘Vera Verto’, she used the incantation and a crystal clear light beam came out of her wand, directed towards the rat and it instantly became a water goblet. Well, more or less. It still had the whiskers and deep brown coloration on it. 

‘Very good! Try to not loosen your hold in the third tap, alright? It’s probably going to help you.’ Sooyoung explained, seeming amused by Ryujin’s attempt. ‘You know what? Our class is coming to an end and you’re the only one that came close to get it right. I’ll leave a note for professor McGonagall saying that you deserve some points for your house’. All students clapped excitedly at her words, talking to each other and smiling at the student. Julia was dumbfounded, even. 

Ryujin was beaming to no end. 

‘I wasn’t expecting you’d do it. You’re so talented, Ryujinnie’, Lia hugged her tightly. 

‘Yaaah, get off! You have no faith in me’, Ryujin groaned, but she was enjoying all of that. When Sooyoung cleaned her throat to get the students’ attention, the pair detached full of remaining giggles.

‘It was a pleasure to be here today. Keep working on your body positions! Don’t forget the transfiguration formula, alright? You’re dismissed.’ She waved and the Hufflepuff’s second years slowly began to gather their materials. To be honest, the students didn’t want the class to have an end because having Sooyoung as they teacher was visually better than having professor McGonagall (even thinking that scared Ryujin to death because she believed the headmistress would apparate at any moment and curse her) and they didn’t feel much pressure. Nothing good lasts forever, right? 

But they couldn’t deny that Professor McGonagall was still the perfect professor.

Ryujin was relieved at how studying made her forget all of her inner struggles (read Chaeryeong) and she could focus on more important things that would help her instead of let her down. With the excitement of learning rushing through her blood, she darted in the library’s direction. 

‘Where are you going?’, Julia asked trying her best to walk the same pace was her friend.

‘Library. I want to get a charms book I’ve been looking for.’

‘But we’ll be late for class! We have to cross the whole garden to get to the greenhouses!’, said Lia exasperated. ‘Wait? Charms? Why? We don’t even have classes today.’

Ryunjin groaned inside. She couldn’t say “I want to learn more before our next class so I can show Chaeryeong that I am worthy of her attention”, so she just shrugged on the way.

‘Dunno. Just feel like learning new enchantments so I can beat Yeji’s ass when we get into the duel club.’ Ryujin beamed (it wasn’t a full lie. She really wanted to learn new enchantments for duel club), knowing too well the effect of those words. Instantly Julia’s face got uptight. 

‘Leave her alone!” the hufflepuff student spoke stridently, making Ryujin laugh.

‘You’re just so easy to tease, it’s so funny — look, we’re already here!” Ryujin announced when they entered the library. The process was fast because she already had the book in mind, so when both girls ran to the Herbology class, professor Sprout didn’t even notice that they were a few minutes late. She usually took the register at the end of class, anyway. 

The rest of the morning was the usual. After the double Herbology class, it was time for lunch and the girls were more than happy to eat, their stomachs growling in hunger. And they’d get some free time to spend with Yuna and Yeji, which by far was one of their most favorite moments of the day. 

By lunchtime, Ryujin was eating happily as if nothing really happened last night. No thoughts, no worries, no feelings. Just the same as ever: enjoying her time in Hogwarts as much as she could. Julia’s words kept echoing in her head and she was starting to believe them. She didn’t need to worry, right? 

‘Yerim, can you put one chicken leg for me?’, Ryujin smiled, holding her plate in the air so her colleague could help her. Yerim nodded and smiled back (literally the sun, Ryujin thought).

‘Of course — hey, do you plan getting into the duel club?’ Yerim asked while putting the chicken on Ryujin’s plate and doing her best to not let it fall on the table.

‘Oh! Yes! I’m so excited! I’ve been looking forward it since last year’, Ryujin answered in excitement. It was true: when the professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts said only second years and above could join the club, she felt a bit sad. But regardless, now she was ready to use some of her knowledge in dueling. She was between Quidditch and Duel Club, but the tests for Quidditch seemed really tiring and she didn’t think she’d be able to train three days a week when she could be studying. The wizarding world was so great and she felt like she was missing a lot of informations because she was a muggleborn.

That word again. She held her breath and shook her head, not letting the thoughts get the best of her again.

‘Are you joining?’, asked Ryujin trying to get her mind occupied. 

‘I don’t think it suits me, so no, but Seoyeon can’t stop talking about it so maybe I will be joining.’ Yerim answered, getting thoughtful at once. ‘But maybe Hyejoo will be joining too and imagine if I go against her? Oh, no!’ mumbled the student and Ryujin couldn’t stop a chuckle. She’d be worried, too, if she wasn’t certain that she could handle a few spells. 

‘Don’t do it, then. What matters is what is truly good to you, ok?’ said Ryujin empathetically before turning her attention back to her food. 

After everybody finished eating, Ryujin and Julia went to their meeting spot above a tree next to the Great Lake. Yeji and Yuna were already there lying in the grass and looking at the sky; they usually weren’t really agitated at that hour, because the duo always had eaten more than their bellies could take. Yeji heard footsteps and raised her head, already searching for Julia with her eyes. They smiled at each other and stayed like that until the girls arrived at the spot.

‘I wish we didn’t have classes this afternoon.’ Yuna grumbled and the other three laughed. She said that everyday. ‘Ah, Ryujin. I’m sorry for yesterday.’ Yuna continued and Yeji agreed, apologizing too.

‘It’s alright. I’ll work hard to get the points back at the end of the week’, she replied. ‘Also, you guys would probably get expelled and I’m pretty sure you wouldn’t come up with an excuse as good as mine was’, she provoked them and Yuna kicked her softly.

‘Yes, I would!’ Whined the Gryffindor’s student. ‘At least we can go back to Hogsmead, right?’ She asked tentatively with her big and expectant eyes, but received nothing but grumbles in response. The conversation about the past event died, giving space it for some small talk.

After awhile, Yeji and Julia were talking to each other about something involving summer and London. Ryujin didn’t feel like joining them, because it was one of the few moments they had to interact. Yuna was fast asleep already, so the hufflepuff girl just pulled the book she got earlier in the library to give it some read. Fifty minutes later and the quartet was already fixing uniforms to go to the next classes, Yuna whining to no end and saying she should skip them all. No one really paid attention to her. 

‘Let us know when you’re going to do your detention so we can help you!’ Yeji said hugging Ryujin for a few seconds. She nodded and smiled back, waving when the gryffindor duo made their way to the greenhouses.

The afternoon classes had nothing out of ordinary. Ryujin didn’t like the subjects that much, to be honest. History of Magic was always the hardest and they had two periods of it. The only thing that saved her from boredom was Potions, but Hufflepuff took it with Ravenclaw’s students and Ryujin didn’t think she was ready for that.

It meant seeing Chaeryeong again.

The clash never came, anyway. The girl didn’t show up and one of her housemates said she was sick. Ryujin should be happy, or something like this, but a voice in her head said she should’ve feel worried instead. The hufflepuff student started thinking about how she really didn’t see Chaeryeong in the breakfast or lunch and she couldn’t lie that she hadn’t searched for the girl, because she did. 

‘Your eyebrows are furrowed. You’re thinking about Chaeryeong, right?’ asked Lia stern. Ryujin sighed.

‘Yes. Isn’t it weird that she didn’t show up after everything yesterday?’

‘Well, I don’t think so? People can get sick at any time’, Julia replied before professor Slughorn started teaching the difference between some types of insects used in healing potions. ‘Also, it’s better for you to get some break’, she added, her voice protective.

‘I guess’, said Ryujin. She was feeling uneasy, first because she never was the type to wish something bad to another person and second because she really didn’t think it was a coincidence. If her theory was true, she wondered why she affected Chaeryeong that much. It saddened her the most to not know the answer and, more than that, to not be able to personally ask Chaeryeong about it. They needed to solve their problem, right? But Ryujin was afraid of confronting the ravenclaw student; she had no confidence at all. 

When the class ended and they were free to spend their time by themselves, Ryujin chose to go to the common room.

‘Are you sure you don’t want to meet the girls?’, asked Julia again and Ryujin shook her head.

‘No, I need some time alone. And…’ she stopped a little, sounding unsure. ‘You didn’t tell them about Chaeryeong, right? If not, I beg you to not do so. Don’t want her being hunted down by Yuna and Yeji.’ Ryujin’s voice was serious this time and Lia smiled before pulling her friend into a hug.

‘You’re too good for this world, Ryujin. I won’t tell them, I promise.’ And just like that, smiling at each other, they parted ways.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter is supposed to be Chaeryeong’s POV, but first I want to ask you if you want it or not. Should I just stick to Ryujin instead?
> 
> Please, leave a comment :D
> 
> I think I’m going have a weekly update so you guys can have a better idea of when expect a new chapter or not. This one is a gift for Ryujin’s birthday, that’s why it came faster. Also, I think I’m going to do a time skip soon? I don’t have time (and creativity) to write seven books :(


	4. Room of Requirement

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> — I’m back with a new chapter! We can understand a bit more of Chaeryeong and what is going on inside her head.
> 
> — The chapter is really... tense? It’s sad and probably has a bit of depression talking in it, so if you think it’s too much, don’t read!
> 
> — Enchanted dance is something I created myself. I think I’ll try to write something more specific about it later, but just imagine ballet/contemporary dance but make it magical *^* hahaha
> 
> — Again, English isn’t my first language so if you find any mistakes, forgive me :/

_ Chaeryeong supposedly shouldn’t be listening to the conversation between her mom and an exotic looking witch. Her robes were bright purple, she had heavy makeup on and the hair was all pulled up, giving the sensation it was a huge mountain.  _

_ ‘I’m sorry, but the business is full of young girls doing enchanted dance already. No one is interested in Chaeyeon’, said the woman apologetically. There was no real feeling, though.  _

_ ‘But she’s really talented’, Ms Lee persisted in a high pitched tone. She was desperate.  _

_ ‘Aren’t they all?’, the exotic witch asked. She sighed and patted her hair as if it had strands out of their places — there weren’t. ‘Why don’t you put your other daughter to dance with her?’ _

_ ‘Chaeryeong?’, she scoffed.  _

_ ‘Well, yeah, they look alike. It’s a differential. You don’t need to feel sorry just because she’s younger and probably isn’t ready for it. Our people would love them.’ _

_ Ms Lee hasn’t said anything after, giving the words some thoughts. Maybe she could make them a duo, but… _

_ ‘I’ll think about it. Thank you for coming’, she finally said. The women said goodbye with fake smiles and an even worse hug, the witch disappearing as soon as Chaeryeong blinked. She ran upstairs afterwards, afraid that her mom would discover she was listening to them. _

_ Chaeryeong felt conflicted. The opportunity to showcase her abilities were finally on corner, but the way her mother said her name earlier as if she wasn’t able to do a job as good as her sister hurt her. However, she should be used by now of always taking the second place, always being left behind and never being trusted to do something magical, but it still hurt her. A lot. As far as Chaeryeong could remember, her sister has always been the favorite. She revealed her magic at the age of 1 and showed natural talent for dance when she was 3. Their mother was from the artistic business, so she was delighted to see her daughter being capable to follow the same path. Chaeryeong on the other hand, was already 8 years old and hasn’t showed signs of magic and when her sister tried to teach her how to dance, she failed miserably because she was too shy to do it in front of others. _

_ One time her parents fought in the dinner table. Her dad was saying that they should wait, that her Hogwarts letter would arrive, but her mom shouted that Chaeryeong was a squib and a shame for the family. The kid would always remember Chaeyeon’s face that day, even though she just came to understand it two years after. Later, her father came to check on Chaeryeong and found her crying. He didn’t know what to say, the signals were quite clear. She didn’t have any magic. _

_ Exactly because of that, Chaeryeong focused on being good at one thing — something that would make her mom proud — so she invested in dancing, but did it alone because their parents and Chaeyeon were never home. Her sister and Ms Lee were always going to competition after competition to make Chaeyeon known and Mr Lee worked full time for the Gringotts, traveling around the world for business. Chaeryeong grew up alone — her grandma was too old to be of any help — and the kids in the neighborhood didn’t show any will to befriend her, because she wasn’t as cool as Chaeyeon.  _

_ Chaeryeong was sad, but she was too innocent to filter the entire situation. The girl tried, and tried, and tried. Three times she showed her mother her improvement, but the woman was too focused on Chaeyeon to care. After all, Chaeryeong still had no magic to show and Ms Lee would never allow such failure to be broadcasted in the entire wizarding world. But the opportunity finally had come and Chaeryeong would make her best to not screw it. _

_ ‘Chaeryeong, come here’, her mom shouted from the living room. With her heart pounding in her ears because of the excitement, she bolted out of her room. ‘You and Chaeyeon are going to work together for the next competition, ok? It will be enchanted dance.’ Ms Lee told her daughter.  _

_ ‘E-enchanted? But how?’ Chaeryeong asked concerned. Enchanted dance needed magic. _

_ ‘Don’t you worry. Now go to the training room, your sister is already waiting for you.’ _

_ After all, the duo really worked out. Ms Lee was the one doing the magic for Chaeryeong, but other than that no problem occurred. They got known in the wizarding world fast, but every time the Daily Prophet or any other newspaper tried to interview the Lee Sisters, their mother only allowed Chaeyeon to talk with them. At the end of the day, the duo was really known as Chaeyeon and the other kid.  _

_ But for Chaeryeong that was ok, really, because at least she was doing something she was becoming really good at.  _

_ Two years later, her sister received her Hogwarts letter and Mr and Ms Lee were as happy as two persons could be. But of course, Ms Lee gave Chaeryeong a disappointing look and for the second time, Chaeyeon stared at her sister with the same expression from before. Now she could understand what was that: pity.  _

_ [...] _

_ ‘Mom! Mom! MOM!’, Chaeryeong came screaming over the hall holding a letter as if her life depended on it.  _

_ ‘What do you want?’, the woman replied annoyed. She didn’t even bother to look at her daughter. _

_ ‘I got my Hogwarts letter!’, said Chaeryeong teary. After that her mom looked at her, eyes bigs in shock. _

_ ‘What? That’s impossible. You have no mag — MY MERLIN!’ Chaeryeong literally shoved it in her face, showing it was real and shutting her mouth up. Ms Lee nearly cried of happiness and hug the kid — something she hadn’t done in a long time. Chaeyeon joined them right after, happy that her sister would be able to go to Hogwarts too. _

_ Chaeryeong was so happy and pleased that she promised herself that she’d be one of the greatest students that school ever had. She needed to prove her mom (and everybody else) wrong. She needed to prove that she was, indeed, a witch. That magic ran through her blood as much as anyone in her family. _

_ Everything seemed to work out pretty well in her first year. She was a good student, had good grades and were always one of the top students in classes. Even though she’d rather do something more artistic and that truly allowed her to showcase her passions, that spot was already Chaeyeon’s and Chaeryeong needed to find something else to win her mother’s love.  _

_ But Chaeryeong felt tired along the way, her energy drained after putting so much effort into things she didn’t want to. She loved studying, but not about everything. She was definitely a curious kid, but the basic offered in the books weren’t meant for her. They were interesting and all, yet she felt she was capable of so much more beyond books. She learned after her first year that ravenclaws weren’t know-it-all at all and along her time in Hogwarts she realized her house was one of — if not the best — houses. _

_ Slowly the Ravenclaw’s student got to know a little more about herself, starting to feel brave enough to depart herself from the eyes of her family, but every time she had thought about giving up in her previous plan to just stick to whatever she found interesting, her mother’s voice screamed in her head that she was “a waste of time” and was going to be a “shame for the family because she didn’t have magic at all”. It didn’t matter how much Chaeryeong wanted to have freedom, just by thinking about upsetting her mom made her feel uneasy and scared enough to follow any other path. _

_ But Hogwarts was too big and if Ms Lee didn’t see, she wouldn’t feel, so Chaeryeong allowed herself to at least get into more of enchanted dance. Now that her magic had outcrop, she could do her movements more precisely and beautifully, colorful sparkles coming out of her fingers and spinning slowly around her like they were only one being. She was starting to not only dance, but study everything behind such an artistic expression. She was in love, mesmerized by the beauty and facets of it. _

_ However, at the end of the terms Chaeryeong was just the second one. Her mother always listened to Chaeyeon’s stories about this and that, her dance group doing this or that, her older friends going to Hogsmead and buying this or that for her, but when Chaeryeong tried to say how many points she gained Ravenclaw that year, Ms Lee dismissed her with “you’re doing nothing than your job”. Well, Chaeryeong was too shy to have friends, yes, and the students usually tended to think that she was rude because she didn’t understand why people could be so subjective sometimes — most of them — and this made her talk always more straightforwardly. It came to a point that she just decided to stay silent instead of trying to befriend anyone.  _

_ Rejection was starting to get the best of her. _

_ And well, having good grades wasn’t such an exclusive thing. A lot of students could do it, Chaeryeong realized soon enough, and the fact that she wasn’t popular just turned her into her mother’s (and hers) biggest fear: she was invisible in Hogwarts. The closest she got of recognition was someone addressing her as “Chaeyeon’s dancer”.  _

_ All those unsaid feelings inside Chaeryeong were coming out of hand and she felt she’d explode anytime soon. It was a mix of desires, obligations, fears, sadness, rage, loneliness, emptiness. For a girl nearly her 12 years old, she was too young to feel all of that. _

[...]

Chaeryeong had ran through random corridors and empty classes, tears falling as hard as the rain outside the castle. There was nothing beautiful about rain, she thought. It’s cold and sad and empty, and that was the best way to describe how she was feeling in her second year of Hogwarts.

She still couldn’t believe what she had done and the damage she caused. She could be a lot of things, but Chaeryeong knew she wasn’t one to harm others, yet she had just did it without giving a second thought. She was disgusted, sad and just wanted to disappear. It seemed like her heart weighted more than Hagrid and her stomach was boiling and turning upside down. Ryujin’s expression wouldn’t get off her head, the hurt in her eyes making Chaeryeong cry even more. She knew the situation would get out of hand, but that? No, that was too much.

Ryujin was Chaeryeong’s worst fear, because the hufflepuff student was everything Chaeryeong wish she could be. In the first year it was ok, they lived in almost two separate worlds, but once they started to have classes together in the second year, Chaeryeong couldn’t take the other. Just watching her passing by with her friends between the houses’ tables was painful enough. Ryujin was popular, pretty, smart, sweet, outgoing, charismatic, naturally talented and even the professors seemed to like her. But what pissed Chaeryeong off the most was the fact that the Hufflepuff’s student was a muggleborn.

It didn’t make sense in Chaeryeong’s head all the pain she went through when her family thought she was a squib. As long as she could remember, her genealogical tree had been only filled with witches and wizards and yet she almost didn’t make it to Hogwarts because she never showed signs of magic. That’s exactly why a muggleborn full of magic and magical abilities got the best of her. She didn’t believe in such thing as pure-blood or mudblood, but she did felt wronged when she suffered all her childhood with the premise of being a squib while Ryujin didn’t even know that the magical world existed until two years ago but had such natural talents for it.

Chaeryeong tried to ignore the bitterness and jealousy, but after two months she was already going insane. Her behavior was becoming weird even for herself and the only thing she could think about was how to make Ryujin disappear. She hated her for sure, but she hated even more to feel that way. At some point, she blamed the Hufflepuff for making her feel like that, too. It came to a point that Chaeryeong didn’t even know her plans and ideals anymore. She just wanted Ryujin gone.

Maybe that’s why she did such a terrible thing.

Chaeryeong knew the quartet too well to know that if they were together in such odd place as that corridor, they’d probably make a mess of it. Also they carried really suspicious faces, which made Chaeryeong wonder what they were about to do. She turn the corridor like the other students she was with, but stayed behind the wall to peep the group. However, the only thing she could see was the statue coming back to its place and the four girls nowhere to be found.

Chaeryeong wasn’t stupid. She knew that Gunhilda of Gorsemoor could only be guarding a secret passage, but where it leaded she had no idea. The ravenclaw didn’t give it too much thought; she tried to find the first authority she could to tell them that the girls were doing something suspect. Jason and Chaeryeong stayed there for hours, the boy really angry and Chaeryeong starting to feel embarrassed because the quartet didn’t seem to be coming back anytime soon. 

Many possibilities had been placed in her head. Maybe she saw it wrong and they followed the corridor down the gardens? Maybe they used another exit? Maybe they are locked somewhere inside the castle? Too maybes for little answers, but the wait was worth it (or at least she thought so) when the headboy mentioned the quartet passing through the statue to the hall. Chaeryeong smiled victorious, knowing that she was about to give Ryujin what she deserved.

As much as she was enjoying that, the reality of her actions hit her hard. While Ryujin was explaining what they were doing (‘why is she taking all the blame?’ Chaeryeong thought to herself), Chaeryeong started to feel uneasy. The sensation grew more after Ryujin looked right in her direction, something that made the ravenclaw find the marble floor very interesting suddenly. Those eyes was burning through Chaeryeong and the embarrassment was taking all over her. She hated Ryujin so much. Hated how she had only negative feelings towards the girl and hated how she felt even more insignificant and bad next to her. Chaeryeong was angry, hurt, but more than ever: she was ashamed of her actions. She had no idea of how to deal or hold those feelings in place, though, so the first thing she started to do was to cry her eyes out and then run to somewhere where no one could see or judge her.

But it didn’t matter if no one could actually judge her. She was doing it herself.

‘I don’t know what I did to you, but never in your life put my friends in this situation again. Your problem is with me, not them.’ Ryujin’s words came back to her head over and over again. How could she be so oblivious of her own actions? How could she act as if her existence wasn’t enough to make everything harder for Chaeryeong to achieve? Why was she acting like she wasn’t the reason Chaeryeong was so invisible and not a single person find her interesting enough to be close to her? It was so frustrating and Chaeryeong couldn’t take that feeling anymore. 

She loved Hogwarts, but in that moment she wished she really was a squib, because maybe she didn’t have to go through such situation like that.

[...]

The next day following the events could be described as blank. Chaeryeong stayed in bed all day too sick to go to classes and to ashamed to face Ryujin and her friends. She didn’t know what right or wrong was anymore, but she did know that she was drained. All her energy gave up to a big and blank space inside her. 

[...]

Three days later and the deputy headmistress went to the Ravenclaw’s common room searching for Chaeryeong. She was concerned about the girl’s situation and, of course, she couldn’t keep losing classes like that. The woman gave her the option to come back home and skip that year, but just thinking of all the things her mother would say and how ashamed she’d feel, Chaeryeong didn’t even falter to say that she would be back to the normal routine the next day. 

[...]

Walking through the corridors again felt odd, because Chaeryeong was feeling as if she wasn’t part of the school anymore. Her thoughts were too conflicted, but she didn’t have energy enough to try and understand them. The only thing she tried to do was to avoid Ryujin and her friends at all costs, walking with eyes glued to the floor and never daring to answer the professors’ questions anymore. The girl started to take the food at breakfast, lunch and dinner to an empty classroom so she couldn’t spare them any attention and would never leave the common room if not necessary. She even stopped frequenting the library. Yet when they were sharing the same classes, Ryujin acted like nothing happened and if Chaeryeong was honest, it seemed like the student was trying even harder to have the spotlight. Maybe to throw in Chaeryeong’s face that the Ravenclaw’s student was a failure. 

She tried to talk to Chaeyeon one time, express her worries, but her sister was always so busy with friends, classes and her dance group that she didn’t even realized how weird Chaeryeong was acting and said a ‘we can talk again later, ok?’ And the younger of them didn’t push it, too, because she didn’t want to be a burden. Somehow she’d have to face it by herself, but the only thing she could feel was numbness as the days passed by. It was almost like part of her personality now.

The only thing saving Chaeryeong from totally submerge under a sadness veil was dance and she spent all time she could on it. And exactly because of thinking too much of dance and thinking of how she could rehearse her choreographies, she found the most amazing part of Hogwarts while walking through the seventh floor corridor: The Room of Requirement. 

A single door appeared out of nowhere in the big wall in her left side. Chaeryeong had always been a curious kid, so she opened it and was met with a ballet-like studio. Mirrors took over all the walls and there was training clothes here and there in a stand next to door. After a long time, she felt her heart beat with something close to happiness. She was amazed and excited and felt like Hogwarts was giving her a comforting hug, almost like telling her that she’s not alone. Chaeryeong felt like crying and so she did, overwhelmed by all the feelings she had bottled in.

Maybe that could be a new start. 

In the Room of Requirement there wasn’t Ryujin, Chaeyeon or her mother. In the Room of Requirement Chaeryeong could be herself without being afraid and compared to. In the Room of Requirement Chaeryeong felt freedom for the first time in her life.

And she danced as much as she wanted to, until her body felt sore and heavy. She danced using magical ribbons that seemed to have its own life, creating luminescent explosions above her head when she spinned, or marking the floor flash a bright red color whenever she slid through it, feeling the magic running through her being and all over the place. Enchanted dance was beautiful, yes, but when Chaeryeong did it, it felt more than just dancing. It was like watching a feeling taking shape and exploding in one million shiny powder. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think it’s the first time I try to write such a complicated character with such drama and angsty on it, because I usually write fluffy happy stuff and all. Did I do it right? Could you feel Chaeryeong and all her confusion?
> 
> Look, they are only 12yo and in their ages I had no idea of how to figure out my conflicted feelings. I hope y’all understand why it looks so... dramatic? They are just kids :/
> 
> Is there anything related to the Harry Potter universe you want to see? A place they should go, an adventure they should have. Let me read your thoughts :D
> 
> I hope you enjoyed it!


	5. Quidditch

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I want to thank all of you for the comments. I’m feeling even more excited to share with y’all the story! I’m really happy ><
> 
> Back to Ryujin and Hogwarts life and a few more encrypted surprises.
> 
> Also, Minkyebin and chuuves crumbs: here we go!

The atmosphere of the school during Quidditch season was indescribable and it would never fail to amazes Ryujin. She felt her excitement grow and near the first game — Gryffindor versus Slytherin — she was about to combust. Even if it wasn’t her own house playing, she loved so much how everyone got so passionate that the girl couldn’t help but get in the mood too. 

‘I am so nervous’, squealed Yuna. Both her and Yeji painted their faces with red ink and were using some kind of a hat that looked like they had lion manes. 

‘I know. I hate when Gryffindor kicks off the season, because everyone expects the best of us’, Yeji cried out, nuzzling her red scarf to send away the nervousness. 

‘Well, it’s Slytherin y’all are playing against. I’d be nervous too’, Julia said and Yuna’s forehead creased before slapping the girl in the shoulder. Not strongly enough to hurt her, but still.

‘Yah, no help!’

‘But I don’t think Gryffindor is gonna lose, anyway’, Ryujin turned to them while they crossed the greenhouses. She could already see the high bleachers and the ring shaped goals as she was ahead of them, but slowed down to get between the gryffindor students. An empathetic smile appeared in her face when she put her arms around both of the girls’ waists. ‘Not when Juyeon and Yaebin are the beaters. They’re like… monsters.’ 

‘You know it doesn’t work like that’, Julia muttered and the three others looked at her.

‘Yah! What’s up with you? You’re all grumpy today!’, Yuna complained, slapping Lia again. Yeji stayed silent, something that didn’t go unnoticed by Ryujin. She looked suspiciously between the two of them, but decided to ask her housemate later in the common room if something happened. Julia shrugged and massaged the place where Yuna had already slapped her twice.

‘Anyway — finally, oh Merlin — let’s find nice places to sit’, Yeji announced when they were close to the Quidditch pitch. They didn’t take long to find a good place in the stands surrounding the place, getting near to the goalposts Gryffindor would be defending that day. 

‘I bought binoculars!’, Ryujin exclaimed taking it out of the intern pocket of her jacket. Since it was Saturday, they didn’t need to use the robes and it was a relief because climbing up there using the uniform was a real hard task. Yeji looked at the hufflepuff like she was about give her a kiss, something she actually did. Ryujin rolled her eyes playful, putting her hand in the kissed cheek and faking an embarrassed giggle. ‘You made my heart flutter!’

All of them laughed at that, Julia acting a bit more forceful than the normal. Ryujin didn’t miss that either. It was funny how she could see that something didn’t feel right between Julia and Yeji, because when they were together they used to be onto each other whenever they could. But right now, both of them just seemed to only talk when it was really necessary, stealing glances here and there when one of them wasn’t looking. Yuna was oblivious, of course, but Ryujin was way too observant for her own good.

The pitch was already full of people and soon enough some other students joined them, the majority being Gryffindor’s students. The quartet was joined by Jiwoo, Sooyoung and Minkyeung.

‘My favorite freshmen!’, Sooyoung said with a smile. Her front teeth showed and Ryujin thought it was adorable. She squished the hand closest to hers, — she realized it was Yuna, a wrong choice, because the girl looked at her with narrowed eyes — nervous because her crush was talking to them.

‘You wouldn’t even know them if it wasn’t for me, Sooyoungie.’ Jiwoo said rolling her eyes, but gave the group her best smile. ‘I’m so ready to see Gryffindor kick Slytherin’s ass today’, she giggled excited and took off her bag a bunch of snacks (how she got them was a mystery, though, because they seemed the ones Hogwarts’ kitchen made). Yeji literally jumped on her, eager to eat some.

‘I thought your fascination with snacks was just a joke’, Minkyeung commented half serious, half laughing. She was a tall looking girl, way taller than Sooyoung, with short black hair and bangs. Her eyes resembled those of a fox and Ryujin would feel intimidated if it wasn’t for her sweet smile. They talked once in a blue moon because she was in the same year as Sooyoung, but whenever Yuna and Yeji took them to Gryffindor’s stuff, they’d chat a bit. 

‘Your girlfriend better hit the slytherins off their brooms, Minky’, Jiwoo threatened and Minkyeung smirked.

‘She always does.’

Julia looked between them at the mention of “girlfriend”, mouth agape, getting interested in something for the first time that day.

‘Are you guys dating?’

‘Yeah’, Minkyeung’s eyes lit up. ‘She asked me last year.’

‘Unfortunately. They’re gross.’ Sooyoung said under her breathe, even though all of them heard her. Minkeyung rolled her eyes.

‘You and Jiwoo are no different.’ 

‘For real!’ Yuna and Yeji said in unison and that made Ryujin’s stomach sank. Of course she didn’t have hopes to date Sooyoung, but knowing she and Jiwoo were dating was an end to her delusional dreams.

‘We aren’t dating!’ The oldest replied, her voice losing the sweet tone to a high pitched one.

‘Whatever helps you to sleep at night, sweetie’, Minkyeung scoffed.

The conversations died when the teams began to enter the pitch. Far from the top of the bleachers, still in the grass, Madam Hooch would be the referee of the match and was telling the teams the rules. No one up there could listen to her words, but the sound of her whistle echoed in the entire place. Fifteen brooms rose up the ground all at once and the match finally started.

‘Gryffindor posses the quaffle and Edward is belting towards the Slytherin goalposts — Hyejoo sends a sharp bludger in his direction — he’s forced to pass the quaffle to Yena — wow!, Sinb was faster to intercept and Slytherin has the quaffle! — Juyeon swings her bat — no, no way, Sinb escapes the bludger and toss the quaffle to Nayeon — to Sinb again — she does a nice dive against the Gryffindor’s keeper and — SLYTHERIN SCORES!’ 

Everyone around Ryujin groaned in frustration, cursing 

the slytherin side of the bleachers. She herself was growing stressed, even though that was just the beginning. Her eyes darted from the game to the person doing the commentary for the match and Ryujin’s heart almost stopped beating. 

‘Chaeryeong?’, she muttered to herself and got her binoculars from Yeji after a few protests, to have a better look. But no, it wasn’t Chaeryeong. Chaeyeon was sit with the deputy headmistress next to her, following the players with sharp eyes to not miss a single detail. But she look so alike Chaeryeong that Ryujin couldn’t dismiss the weird sensation that grew inside her.

She realized it’s been awhile since she saw Chaeryeong in other place than classes, and even there the girl almost went unnoticed if it wasn’t for Ryujin and her constantly furtive glances. The hufflepuff realized a lot of other feelings too, but they weren’t something she should dig deeper into during a Quidditch match. 

‘Yaebin seems to be furious, she spins her bat against the bludger and — wow!, Nayeon almost fell from her broom — Gryffindor has the quaffle and its chasers are side by side — looks like a great strategy — Hyejoo’s bludger isn’t fast enough — they’re belting together — now Edward and Jonas slip away — yes, Yena is alone and — nice turn — she’s diving fast — Sinb tries to steal the quaffle, but Yena dodges her — the Gryffindor’s chaser is right in front the goalposts — Slytherin’s keeper tries to block — she tosses the quaffle to Edward — GRYFFINDOR SCORES!’

The students erupted in screams, hugging each other in celebration. After the fuss of the first point, Ryujin put Chaeryeong in the farthest place in her head, focusing on the game. It wasn’t hard after all, because Quidditch was always something to distract Ryujin from her thoughts. 

‘It seems like Luda saw something!’, Chaeyeon shouted and everybody looked at the small slim girl bolting towards a golden flash. ‘Gryffindor’s seeker is right behind her — Bora Kim, right? — Bora is getting close but Luda is not that far from the golden snitch — oh, Merlin! That bludger must’ve hurt — Juyeon’s bludger hit Luda’s side and Bora isn’t fast enough to dodge the Slytherin’s seeker — that’s a mess — yeah, the golden snitch is nowhere to be found — ok, back to the quaffle — GRYFFINDOR SCORES!’

The match continued that way for at least fifteen minutes before Bora and Luda could spot the golden snitch again. Ryujin literally felt like Slytherin was going to win, they seemed way superior in the game, and it wasn’t a surprise when Luda got the snitch after a dangerous dive next to the ground. 

Everybody around left the Quidditch’s pitch with sour moods. Yeji and Yuna decided to join their housemates to give strength to the players after Gryffindor’s loss and Ryujin and Julia headed back to the castle.

‘They’re going to be sulky all week’, Julia commented after a few minutes of silence. Ryujin giggled, nodding at the thought.

‘Yeah! I can already see Yuna trying to prank Hyejoo’ as revenge, Ryujin said and looked at Julia with interest. ‘Are you going to tell me why you were acting like that earlier?’

Lia groaned knowing Ryujin wouldn’t drop the subject anytime soon and had a tired voice when she decided to spoke.

‘You know that Chaeyoung girl, right?’ 

‘Which one?’

‘The Slytherin one, of course. Chaeyoung from Ravenclaw is nice, even though she has the weirdest fashion sense — anyway — she was all over Yeji in the bathrooms two days ago.’ The words came out with a bitter taste. Ryujin could only nod in response, waiting for more informations. They didn’t come.

‘That’s all?’

‘Well, yes!’, defended Lia.

‘They talked to each other?’, Ryujin asked slowly, trying to find some sense.

‘Not only talked! She was drooling all over Yeji.’ The student correct her, nostrils flared. When Ryujin realized her friend was just jealous, she found that rather funny and tried her best to hold a laugh.

‘And why exactly were you mad at Yeji?’ Ryujin decided to play along just to see if her housemate would recognize why she was grumpy because of such thing.

‘Yeji was giving her attention!’ Julia said huffy. 

‘But you are just friends…’ Ryujin replied and there was a hint in her voice of something else. She was grinning. Julia looked at her with wide eyes.

‘What are you even implying? That I like her? — Of course I don’t like Yeji, Ryujin — it doesn’t even make sense — I don’t have reasons to like her _that way_!’ 

‘You’re rambling about not liking her that way but I didn’t say anything about it’, Ryujin mocked her friend and smirked, knowing she got Julia there.

‘I-, I, it’s not like that ok! You’re crazy!’ And with that Julia bolted to inside the castle, Ryujin right after her laughing. 

They finally entered the common room a few apologies from Ryujin later (she wasn’t that sorry, though). 

‘I’m going to rest. Are you coming?’ Julia asked in the portal.

‘Nah, I’m going to stay here a little’, Ryujin replied and Julia nodded. She just wanted to give Lia some space to absorb her feelings, to be honest. Ryujin also loved to stay with her housemates in the common room, because the best activities happened there. 

Eunwoo and Jungeun were singing along with Seoyeon — who was playing a guitar — next to the fireplace and Ryujin smile at that scene, walking towards them. Yerim waved and called Ryujin to sit besides her in the couch.

‘How was the game?’ She murmured without looking at the newcomer.

‘It was fine. Gryffindor lost.’ Yerim looked at her shocked for a moment, but smiled right after.

‘Hufflepuff has chances this year, then.’

They turned their attention to the group singing. Ryujin loved how magic would work in instruments, because even though most of the time Seoyeon was hitting the strings, sometimes it would just play by itself when she focused more on singing. Her husky voice matched Jungeun’s very well, while Eunwoo got the belting parts. They were singing about a lonely wizard that lost his love for a troll and Ryujin didn’t recognize the song, of course, but it seemed to be well known in the wizarding world as many other students were murmuring along. 

Ryujin looked around the common room and spotted Haseul and Kahei playing a wizard’s chess game. Haseul’s enchanted pieces were too kind to handle Kahei’s well trained ones, so she’d always lose for the latter. But it doesn’t matter, really, because Haseul would do anything to see Kahei smile, Ryujin soon realized. The Hufflepuff’s Headgirl was a really charming witch and even though she wasn’t one to talk a lot, she always had the right words. Ryujin adored her. She thought about talking to them, but 1) she didn’t want to hinder the duo and 2) her place at the armchair next to the hearth was too cozy.

Finally dozing off, Ryujin let her mind wander through her own feelings. She was content; being there always made her feel grateful for the things she had. Hogwarts was a blessing, a gift, and she didn’t know anymore how her life would be without the school and her friends. She loved her hometown and her muggle friends, but she just wasn’t her true self with them. After all, being in the Hufflepuff’s common room like that just seemed right, like Ryujin and the place were meant to be; the ambient was always so comforting and pleasant. She also loved her classes, all new knowledge, every single bit of magic she could put a hand on. Yet, whenever she thought about Hogwarts and all it could offer her, Chaeryeong has came to her mind. That day wasn’t different, but Ryujin didn’t fight the thoughts. She let them in, embraced them, opened the box that threaten to release its feelings during the Quidditch match at the sight of Chaeyeon. Ryujin realized she wasn’t angry at the girl anymore, even though she knew she should, but she was never one to hold grudges. Instead of those angry feelings, though, she felt worried about the Ravenclaw’s student and the fact that she was becoming more absent each passing day after their confrontation in from of the One-Eyed Witch secret passage.

‘It’s more easy to understand potions than to understand Chaeryeong’, Ryujin thought. But right there, fixing her gaze on the flames with a mind full of questions and a heavy heart, the hufflepuff promised herself she’d fix their situation. One day… if the other ever let her in. Ryujin wouldn’t push it, of course, too afraid that Chaeryeong would react the same way she did at Gunhilda of Gosermoor’s statue, but she’d definitely try. 

Ryujin sighed, unconformed, and tried to push the thoughts again to its box inside the farthest place in her mind. When she went to the dorm and found Julia wrapped in her blankets taking a nap. Ryujin smiled at that and lay in her own bed, Milky Way already making its way to lay besides her. She hugged the cat and closed her eyes. An odd feeling apparead, like telling her that the situation wasn’t as simple as Ryujin thought it was.

‘What am I missing?’

[...]

Ryujin woke up from her nap with Julia tapping her shoulders.

‘It’s Saturday’, she groaned sleepy and turned to the other side. ‘Let me sleep.’

‘I will, but Jason’s owl came three minutes ago. I guess it’s about your detention’, Julia said slowly. Ryujin jumped, eyes wide, looking around to grab the letter. Lia held out the parchment towards her friend. 

‘I totally forgot about it.’ Ryujin muttered and opened to read the content. She should go to the trophies room at 7pm and clean them until 9pm. The student growled and lay sharply against the mattress. ‘I don’t wanna!’, she pouted, making Julia giggle.

‘Yeji, Yuna and I can go and help you.’

‘Nah, it’s ok’, Ryujin said finally, smiling a bit to her friend. ‘Jason is going there to check on me and if he sees all of you there, we’re probably going to keep cleaning until midnight.’

‘So what are we going to do until there?’, Julia asked sitting in Ryujin’s bed.

‘I’m going to read. I need to learn new spells.’ Ryujin put her legs in Lia’s lap, stretching herself. ‘Duel Club’s tests are going to happen after Christmas. I need to get ready.’

‘You really want to be part of that, huh?’ 

‘Well, of course!’ Ryujin got up, excited. ‘It’s where I can show off my abilities!’ 

‘I can’t wait to see you rolling across the platform’, Julia mocked and Ryujin put her tongue out, crossing her arms.

‘I just want to try and see if I’m good, ok? It’s all about the fun’, she pouted and that made Julia laugh.

‘Just stop pouting already! You’re like a baby!’

After all the bickering, the Hufflepuff’s students decided to go to the library together. There they stayed until dinner and after that, Ryujin went to the trophies’ room alone.

‘Hey, why don’t you go and find Yeji to talk to her?’, Ryujin had asked in the way to the Great Hall for dinner. Julia only sighed, but after what seemed ages, she finished her chicken leg to speak.

‘Yeah!, you’re right. I miss her.’

  
  


[...]

The trophy room was quiet, but frightening. You could find there awards, trophies, cups, plates, shields, statues, and medals displayed in crystal glass shelves all around the place. The gold, silver and bronze seemed to spark a macabre dance, as if they were drawing Ryujin into a world of infinite wealth. For a moment the Hufflepuff’s student stayed still in awe, but when her eyes darted towards a piece of old cloth next to a statue, she wondered if she’d have to clean the place in the muggle way, something that made Ryujin’s nose scrunch.

‘That’s a no no’, she said to herself and took her wand out of her pocket, smiling at the object before going to the near shelf. Drawing a “S” in the air with her wand, she hold her breath before speaking. It was the first time she’d use such an advanced spell. 

‘Scourgify!’ Even though no light came out, the silver plates in front of her started to shine more without all the dust that was slowly fading out. Ryujin smiled to herself, her heart beating fast at the use of magic.

The Scouring Charm was a fourth year spell, Professor Flitwick had said to her when the girl asked about cleaning, but being such a promising student, the small man told her that the girl could find how to learn it in the third chapter of the Book of Spells by Miranda Goshwak. Professor Flitwick handed the student a note with his own signature, allowing the girl to take the book from the library’s Restricted Section.

‘Very well!’, he had said one day in an empty classroom when she cleaned an owl’s cage full of dung, ‘I can already see you as one of the best students in Hogwarts! I hope you follow the Charms path!’ 

With the wizard assisting her closely, the girl learnt the scouring charm in no time. She asked to keep the book, but professor Flitwick had also said that she would miss all the fun from his next classes, so he wouldn’t be teaching her any other advanced spell for now. But Ryujin felt grateful anyway, because she didn’t expect to be already so trustworthy in her second year. 

With half of the shelves cleaned, Ryujin decided to use the cloth for the first time and sake of her own luck. Jason would probably appear anytime soon to check on her and she didn’t want to give him a reason to extend her detention.

But Ryujin was met with Athena, instead.

The girl hadn’t seen the teacher since the meeting at her house, when she said that Ryujin was a witch. She knew the woman taught Muggle Studies in Hogwarts, but she was never at the professors’ table in the Great Hall or any other activity.

‘Detention, Ryujin?’ The witch asked with narrowed eyes. Ryujin’s cheeks painted themselves pink.

‘Y-yes’, she stuttered. It was a shame that Athena was seeing her in that situation when she seemed to be so eager about Ryujin’s magic. But the woman in front of her opened the beamed, as if she was proud. The student frowned her brows in confusion.

‘I believe all students should go to detention once. It means that they’re enjoying Hogwarts fully’, she said quickly in face of Ryujin’s confused stare. The professor looked around; first at the part that was definitely clean and then to the other one full of dirt. Her gaze followed Ryujin’s hand that was holding the old cloth. The expression in the woman’s face was like she was having a lot of fun. ‘Did you clean all of these with that?’ She pointed out the dirty fabric.

‘Yes?’ Ryujin rushed to reply, deliberately lying so Athena couldn’t catch the fact that the student used magic to help her to complete her task. But the professor just laughed, shaking her head in disbelief.

‘No need to lie to me, kid. I know a scouring charm when I see one.’

‘I’m sorry! I just thought it would be really bad if I…’

‘Hey! It’s ok! I’m not mad at you. That’s exactly what I expected from you, to be honest. Let me guess…’, she paused and put her left hand in her chin, thinking. ‘Flitwick taught you?’

Ryujin nodded and smiled a bit, relieved that she wouldn’t be getting yelled on. And she also missed Athena’s energy. 

‘Where have you been, professor?’ Ryujin dared to ask, feeling more relaxed now. ‘It’s been so long since I last saw you.’

‘Well, if you had chosen to take Muggle Studies class this year you’d see me — ok, no need to protest — I know you’re a muggleborn and it wouldn’t make sense — anyway — yeah, since Neville went to Brazil last year to research wild plants I’ve been busy with his tasks. I’m the head of Gryffindor now and I still need to track muggleborns to tell them about Hogwarts so… a lot of things to do.’

Athena looked Ryujin directly in the eye, her smile diminishing only for a pull of her lips.

‘And I know you’ve been doing pretty well, Ryujin, but be careful. I don’t want this to get on your head, ok?’ 

Ryujin froze in place at the turn of subjects. She knew that that was a palpable concern given Hogwarts' track record, but Ryujin couldn't even imagine herself using such abilities to harm or have power over anyone.

‘I would never, Professor Athena.’ 

The woman smiled kindly at the student, getting closer and putting one hand in Ryujin’s left shoulder.

‘I know. But other people may not think this way.’

With that, the witch left the room to a speechless Ryujin. The hufflepuff didn’t understand at all what was behind those words; of course in another situation with another student they would make sense — Sooyoung Ha, for example —, but Ryujin was just an ordinary witch and the school was already packed with real celebrities and prodigy students with background stories of magic bigger than Ryujin could ever imagine. 

‘I’m literally no one here’, she muttered to herself, still looking at the exit of the room where Athena’s body was a few moments ago. Ryujin sighed heavily, missing the times where she didn’t have to think about someone hating on her or now, someone saying encrypted words to her. 

While finishing cleaning the trophies (Jason came to check on her a few minutes later and when he left, Ryujin didn’t wait any longer to wave her wand around the room a few more times), she thought about telling the conversation to Julia, but Ryujin didn’t have any idea of what was the reason behind the words and didn’t want to make a fuss about it. She decided to keep it for herself, because she didn’t want to believe on it either. It still didn’t make sense that someone would look up at her as if she was selfish or ambitious in a bad way.

Fortunately Ryujin’s mind became very busy with the proximity of Christmas’ holiday. She’d be spending it in Hogwarts for the first time and even though Julia, Yuna and Yeji wouldn’t be with her, she was still excited and couldn’t think about any other thing than the year-end celebrations. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You can find me on twitter as @ryunapia! And if you ever feel like talking about the story there, you can use #ithao3 tag so I can read your reactions (if you have any lmao).
> 
> Next chapter is probably going to be the last one with them on second year (babies need to grow) and we’ll get to meet more of other students. 
> 
> See y’all next Friday!


	6. Duel Club

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I’m sorry I didn’t update last night. I was so sleep deprived that I couldn’t put myself to finish the chapter, but here I am! I hope you enjoy it!

Christmas arrived faster than Ryujin thought. In no time she was already saying goodbyes to Julia, Yuna and Yeji. They’d go home, but Ryujin decided to stay in Hogwarts that year. Her parents were against it at first, but the girl assured them it would be just that time because she really wanted to have the experience. As a muggleborn she never experienced the holiday in the wizarding world and to say that she was excited was an understatement.

She woke up to a stack of gifts in her bed’s foot. The girl rubbed her eyes to send the sleepiness away and smiled to Milky Way before going to open all the packages. Her parents got her a new hoodie and earmuffs because of winter, probably, new notebooks and from a huge parcel — Ryujin almost screamed in excitement — there was a portable gramophone and vinyl discs from her favorite muggle bands. She could swear she’d cry right now and then while holding the The Smiths’ disc. Hogwarts didn’t accept electronic players, but gramophones were fine since they didn’t need electricity. She was so touched by the gesture that she noted mentally to write her parents as soon as she got out of bed. 

Julia got her a book about enchanted dance — they discussed about the topic one of those nights, Ryujin saying she trained dance back in her hometown — and Ryujin felt her heart melts at how Lia remembered about that. Skipping to the next package, there was a note with Yuna and Yeji’s names. Ryujin scrunched her nose afraid of what would happen when she opened the parcel, but carefully and far away from her bed, she unfolded the beige paper and was met with a box card. Another note was written: “be careful. you wouldn’t want professor McGonagall to catch you using them” and for Ryujin’s surprise — more or less — the gift was a Weasley’s Wild-Fire Whiz-Bangs. Ryujin wondered why she’d want fireworks at first place, but she bet her cat that Yuna and Yeji would want to use them later for themselves. That made Ryujin laugh; they really were something else.

She got gifts from her roommates too. Yerim gave her a new Hufflepuff scarf and Seoyeon’s present was a guide to how to play instruments using magic. Ryujin was so happy that she almost didn’t see the last gift in the pile. It was a letter to be more exact, perfectly folded and with a perfume she didn’t recognize. There was no informations about the sender. Ryujin furrowed her eyebrows while opening it and literally dropped the paper when it became a bunch of purple flowers.

Dumbfounded, the Hufflepuff’s student just stared at it for good two minutes. No thoughts, just amazement. Finally recovering her senses, the girl got the bouquet and analyzed it. No name, no reference, nothing. Ryujin didn’t even recognize what flowers were those. Maybe professor Sprout would know? With that in mind she dressed as fast and warm as she could — making sure she’d use her parents gifts — to go check if the teacher was in the greenhouses.

When Ryujin looked at the flowers again, there was just the same letter from before. She raised her eyebrows, impressed by the magic used. Finally ready to go, she almost ran outside the common room to the the greenhouses. It was probably her lucky day, because professor Sprout was putting red sparkling globes with her wand in the mandrakes — they weren’t very happy — when she got her.

‘Ryujin sweetie! What brings you here today?’ She asked with a kind smile. The student smiled back, already taking off her hoodie’s pocket the letter. She opened it again and just like before, it became the bouquet with purple flowers. She made sure to hold it this time.

‘Do you know what type of flowers are these?’ She asked in a hush. The teacher got close to inspect every detail of them. She smiled a few seconds after.

‘These aren’t magical flowers, even though someone enchanted them to become a letter and vice-versa. It’s purple hyacinth.’ Professor Sprout finally said, her eyes shining. ‘Muggles usually use them to show someone they are sorry about something.’

‘Oh!, ok’ Ryujin said intrigued. Who’d send her such thing and for what reason they’d be sorry for?

She thanked the professor and left the greenhouse, heading towards the owlery to write for her parents. Yet, the flowers didn’t get out of her head nor the curiosity about who sent them. 

[...]

Ryujin later forgot about the weird gift while playing a heated snowball game. Hyunjin Kim and Chaeyoung Lee from Slytherin and Jiwon Park and Kyla Massie from Ravenclaw were teamed up against Ryujin, Yaebin Kang from Gryffindor, Gyeongwon Kang and Saerom Lee from Hufflepuff. Hyunjin nearly destroyed all of them — seriously — they had no chance against the girl.

‘Why aren’t you in the quidditch team again?’ Yaebin asked breathless. She was the best chance against the Slytherin student, but even her who was a beater didn’t hit the girl once.

‘Dunno. I don’t like responsibility, I guess’. Hyunjin replied monotonously. After the game, all of them went to the common room to warm up a little before the Christmas’ feast. 

‘Let’s all sit together!’ Yaebin had said in the staircase before they went to different directions. ‘It’s a day to celebrate with loved ones and I love all of you.’ Gyeongwon cringed hard at those words and Ryujin and Saerom laughed, agreeing regardless. 

‘I’d rather die’, Hyunjin murmured.

‘You’re no fun.’ Jiwon rolled her eyes. ‘I’M GOING!’ Her voice was so loud that that was almost a shout. Chaeyoung shoved the small girl with her shoulders.

‘Everything to be close to me, huh?’ The Slytherin’s student said and Jiwon opened her mouth astonished.

‘What? What are you even saying…’ 

‘Anyway… yeah, let’s meet there.’ Chaeyoung said still looking at Jiwon with those mischievous eyes of hers. Ryujin remembered that Julia got jealous of the Slytherin student and giggled to herself. Chaeyoung acted like that with literally everyone, even people she didn’t know. That fact made Ryujin believe that her friend was way more captivated by Yeji than she thought.

[...]

During dinner time, Kyla was sitting in Ryujin’s right and Gyeongwon in the left. In front of her, Chaeyoung and Jiwon was still bickering each other and soon all of the students joined them to make fun and laugh together. They weren’t many, just fifteen, so all of them fit on one table after all.

The Great Hall was perfectly decorated with big pine trees, luminescent balls, snow falling from the magic ceiling and a soft music playing in the background. The atmosphere was perfect and so enjoyable that Ryujin felt like she could cry of happiness. Of course she loved her family, but being there was an experience she couldn’t quite explain. Even Hyunjin was playing along and laughing; Christmas for sure made miracles happen.

The best part so far were the Wizard Crackers. They exploded in a blast like a cannon, involving the nearby students in blue smoke — Ryujin got so surprised that she screamed, making everyone laugh. Inside it the the students found all type of funny stuff. Ryujin got herself a flowered bonnet, a hat with a stuffed pink duck on top and a wizard’s chess set which she’d make sure to gift Haseul because they seemed braver than the prefect’s actual ones.

‘Listen, I want to see how many marshmallows you can put in your own mouth!’ Ryujin said excited during dessert time. Chaeyoung stared at her for a few seconds and quickly to put as many as she could. Yaebin rushed to do the same, never missing the opportunity of a challenge. 

‘That’s so gross’, Gyeongwon commented while looking at them.

‘I know. That’s why it’s funny.’ Ryujin laughed. Saerom was counting for Yaebin and Jiwon for Chaeyoung. ‘TIME!’ The Hufflepuff’s student shouted.

‘Chaeyoung, if you lost to Yaebin I’m going to hunt you even in your dreams.’ Hyunjin threatened and Chaeyoung just rolled her eyes with her mouth full. Jiwon couldn’t suppress a laugh at the sight.

‘That’s too good to be true’, she said.

‘Ok, Yaebby got eight.’ Saerom informed and Jiwon shook her head, still laughing at the girl in her side.

‘Chaeyoung got fourteen.’

‘WHAT?’ Yaebin screamed with her mouth stuffed with marshmallows. A few of them fell off, making Kyla grunt in disgust. Ryunjin couldn’t stop laughing. 

‘Well, Chaeyoung is as good in sweet-talk as she is in eating marshmallows, I guess’, Ryujin commented and everyone agreed while giggling. The Slytherin’s student gave her the middle finger and Ryujin acted like she was deeply offended, but they smiled at each other right after. Saerom had to make sure Yaebin didn’t get up to fight, saying it was just a stupid game. None of them really cared that she was angry, to be honest. The sight of the small girl trying to get rid of the marshmallows was too funny for them to get worried. 

The agitation died minutes later when all of them was too full of food for their own good. Ryujin’s eyes wandered around the place and finally found the statff’s table. They apparently were having a good time too, even Professor McGonagall was all smiles to Professor Slughorn. The girl stared at Athena for a few seconds, smiling at how pink the woman’s face was because of the wine she had been drinking. Suddenly an idea popped in Ryujin’s mind and she waited till the time to go to bed to put it in practice.

Instead of following Gyeongwon and Saerom to Hufflepuff’s common room, she got near the professor’s table and waited for Athena.

‘Hey, Professor! Merry Christmas!’, Ryujin said and Athena gave her a big smile, surprisingly hugging the girl. 

‘Very happy, yeah! H-how are you?’ She had difficulty to speak, probably due to the amount of alcohol she ingested.

‘I’m fine, thank you. Just wondering if you could tell me who has been thinking that I’m greedy for power’, Ryujin said at once, don’t minding her words because she knew Athena was far too affected to really care. The Hufflepuff’s student remembered well of her own parents when they decided to drink wine at home.

‘Hmmmm, I really can’t tell you…’

‘Please, Professor. I don’t want to give them the wrong impression.’

‘You’re really a good girl, Ryujin.’ Two hiccups after and Athena looked — or tried to — the student in the eyes. ‘Chaeryeong. She was really interested in muggles. It was endearing, but her questions were a bit weird.’

Ryujin felt a punch in her own stomach. That wasn’t the best way to end a perfect night but well, she had searched for it.

‘Oh!, ok! Thank you!’ Ryujin murmured defeated but Athena wasn’t paying attention to her anymore. She probably found Hagrid way more pleasing than the student, because she was already laughing together with the giant-like man.

Ryujin headed to the common room alone with a mind full of thoughts. She wasn’t surprised, to be honest, but knowing the truth still hurt like hell. Again Chaeryeong showed signs to dislike the Hufflepuff’s student without really having a reason than Ryujin being a muggleborn. Was the Ravenclaw’s student that close minded? It didn’t make sense to blame it in her family, because Chaeyeon was sweet and friendly to everyone. Even one of her best friends was a muggleborn. So why Ryujin? 

Why? Why? Why?

[...]

The classes started a few days after Christmas’ day. Ryujin was seated with Julia in the library before the Duel Club’s tests. After all, exams were getting close. Ryujin had told her friend about the flowers and they tried to search for the sender with revealing spells, but the girls couldn’t find nothing. 

‘Let’s go. The tests are going to start in fifteen minutes.’ Ryujin said in a low voice and the duo packed their stuff. 

Outside the library, they felt the freedom to speak in the normal volume again.

‘Hufflepuff’s quidditch game is next weekend. I can’t believe we’re one win away of being the champions of the season.’ Julia commented excited while they crossed the castle to the duel room.

‘I know. It’s too good to be true. Xuanyi is for real our hidden weapon. I don’t know why she didn’t get in the team before, though.’ Ryujin said. ‘Isn’t it her last year here?’

‘Unfortunately yes’, Julia replied. ‘I guess she was too busy whipped for Bona.’ Ryujin laughed and shoved her friend slightly with her shoulder.

‘How are things with Yeji?’

‘We’re in good terms again.’ Julia muttered. ‘I don’t know what gave me to act like that but it’s in the past now.’

‘Jealousy is weird, my friend.’ Ryujin’s said playfully and Julia rolled her eyes.

‘Can you shut up?’

They finally arrived in the classroom where the Duel Club’s test would happen and a lot of students were already there. They found Yuna and Yeji in a corner and walked towards them.

‘Ready to have your ass kicked?’ Yeji asked with a smirk. Ryujin raised her eyebrows.

‘Holiday made you brave, I see.’ She replied and the Gryffindor’s student punched her in the arm. Ryujin made a hurt face, but they giggled.

‘Shut up. Professor Taeyeon is here.’ Yuna announced and all students got quiet real quick. Taeyeon was the professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts and no one really dared to say a word if the woman didn’t ask them to. She was more feared than McGonagall, if Ryujin dared to say. It was funny because she was really small and slim, but her cold expression was enough to put the students in place. 

‘Duelling should be taken seriously. Here you’re going to learn the basic spells to attack and protect, but also curses and advanced enchantments to make your enemy claim for mercy. I’ve been talking to professor McGonagall and we’re planning to do a championship between magic schools, so if you’re in the Duel Club and is really good, you’re having a free pass to represent Hogwarts.’

‘I have the list of subscriptions and I’ll call two names in random order. You’re going up in the platform in opposite sides, greet each other and try to defeat your opponent without causing them a serious harm. Right now it doesn’t matter who’s going to win; I’ll check your abilities and knowledge of spells. I get to choose who’s in or not. Understood?’

The students just nodded, afraid to speak or go against her rules.

‘Very well. Jules and Seoyeon, get up here.’

The Slytherin boy had that pretentious smile in his face while Seoyeon just tried to look as stable as possible.

‘You can do it, Syeonnie!’ Ryujin shouted and the girl in question looked at her gratefully. 

They walked towards each other and bowed in signal of respect. After that, both of them walked at opposite directions to place themselves in the extreme sides of the platform. They got in a combative position with their wands pointed to each other. Taeyeon observed the students and finally clapped, signaling they should start the duel.

‘Furnunculus!’ The boy shouted and Seoyeon saw the light coming, jumped to the side to avoid it. Without blinking, she swang her wand and pointed it straight at the Slytherin’s student.

‘Densaugeo!’

He wasn’t fast enough to dismiss the white flash that came out of Seoyeon’s wand. At first nothing happened and he was already getting ready to a counterattack when suddenly his front teeth started to grow. And it grew and grew until it was almost at his chest level.

Students started laughing and the boy turned to Taeyeon searching for help, but the woman just raised her eyebrows and signaled him to keep on going. Jules finally turned to Seoyeon, angry and with his mouth open because he wasn’t able to close it anymore.

‘Lefclopors!’ He tried to say but the words came out muffled were indiscernible. The boy, instead of hitting Seoyeon, had the spell rebounded against himself and it pushed him out of the platform, almost knocked out. Taeyeon clapped again and the duel was already over.

‘Someone take him to the nursery, please.’ She looked at Seoyeon and examined the girl from head to toe. ‘Why did you use such hex against Jules?’

‘Hmm… if I made him unable to speak properly, he wouldn’t cast any other spell against me and would probably just end injuring himself… like that.’ Seoyeon answered uncertain of herself, but her words made Taeyeon smile. 

‘That’s surprising, but something I’d expect from a Hufflepuff student.’ She then turned to the rest of the students. ‘When you’re dueling, you don’t need to have the best or the most destructive spell. You just need to be smart enough and make your opponent unable to attack you. Seoyeon showed us a good example. Welcome to the Duel Club.’ Taeyeon explained and gave Seoyeon a bottom written “duel club” on it. The girl’s smile was so big and Ryujin was feeling really proud of her.

‘That’s our girl right there!’ She shouted again and was followed by other Hufflepuff’s students that time. 

The tests carried on the whole afternoon. Yeji and Ryujin didn’t fight each other, but the Gryffindor’s student had a heated battle with Jiwon. After all, both of them got in the club because Taeyeon liked their performances.

Ryujin’s was the last one to duel, apparently.

‘Ryujin Shin and…’ Taeyeon scanned the list and looked around the room. ‘Who hasn’t yet been chosen?’ The Hufflepuff’s student looked around the room anxiously, trying to find her match. When no hand rose up, Taeyeon scrunched her nose. ‘Ok, then… do any of you want to challenge her?’

Yeji was so ready to put herself in the platform, but for Ryujin’s dismay, the one that got up there first was none other than Chaeryeong. When she even got in the classroom? Ryujin was sure the girl wasn’t there before. 

The girl thought about giving up as soon as she saw Chaeryeong looking at her with that blank expression, but decided that she wouldn’t allow the Ravenclaw’s student to interfere in her life anymore. Julia looked at her worried and grabbed her hand; Ryujin tried to smile and reassure her friend that everything would be ok.

‘You better give her a lesson, Jinie!’ Yuna said angrily, remembering how the other girl gave them up to the Head Boy. Ryujin just nodded and walked towards the platform. Suddenly she was feeling really insecure, head’s empty of all the spells she learned to use there.

‘Alright. Start your greetings.’ Taeyeon said and both girls started to walk to the center. They were staring at each other eyes so intensely that the students around them could feel the tension. The girls bowed slowly and Ryujin was hit with Chaeryeong’s perfume. She wasn’t one to use much of her olfactory sense and her memory for it wasn’t good either, but the smell wasn’t strange to the Ravenclaw’s nose. Of course she didn’t give it much thought, but even so part of her mind was placed in the fact that that was probably the first time she got that close of Chaeryeong.

They gave each other’s their backs and walked to the opposite sides of the platform. Getting in the combative position, Taeyeon motioned to clap her hands but before she wasn’t even finished, Chaeyeon was already moving to cast her first spell.

‘Alarte Ascendare!’ Chaeryeong shouted and a red light came out of her wand and straight to Ryujin’s direction. Everything was so fast that the Hufflepuff’s student couldn’t even process what was happening and as soon as she was hit my the hex, she felt herself flew towards the ceiling and then towards the floor. Ryujin’s body hit the platform with a loud smack and something in her fall made her stomach smash her diaphragm or something like this, because the girl was unable to breathe for a good amount of seconds. 

‘Come on, Ryujin!’ Yeji shouted. Everything was a blur in Ryujin’s mind, but she knew she couldn’t just stay there curled in the floor, so slowly she started to get up.

‘Did you give up already?’ Taeyeon’s voice came from somewhere and Ryujin shook her head.

‘N-no.’

‘Get up, then. I don’t have all day.’

A few students laughed and that made Ryujin’s blood boil. Finally she got on her feet and looked at Chaeryeong’s direction. She was expecting to see the same triumphant face from the Hogsmead day, but there was only the blank expression from before. If Ryujin was honest, she was starting to get really annoyed by that. Why couldn’t Chaeryeong show any emotion?

‘Rictumsempra!’ Ryujin shouted out of rage (in her mind she really want to see her opponent to have any other reaction instead of those cold eyes, so the Tickling Spell was her first option), twirling her wand in Chaeryeong’s direction. The Ravenclaw’s student was expecting the attack, so she dodged it without problem. Not even one second later, she was already counterattacking.

‘Aqua eructo!’ This time Ryujin was ready for what was about to come, so when the jet of water came abruptly in her direction — and for the students surprise — she didn’t try to dodge it. Instead she used her own wand and crossed diagonally the air in front of her, saying right after:

‘Protego!’ 

As soon as the jet hit the invisible shield, it came right back towards Chaeryeong. She wasn’t expect that at all, so when the water hit her strongly she was pushed backwards, causing the girl to lose her balance and hit the floor. 

‘Yes, Jinie! Get her ass!’ Yuna shouted and Taeyeon looked annoyed in her direction, making the girl to shush. 

A few students murmured to each other. It was the first time someone actually used the Shield Charm. Some of them didn’t even know it existed. Ryujin didn’t give the murmurs attention, fixing her eyes in Chaeryeong and watching carefully the girl’s every move while she got up. 

‘Petrificus totalus!’ Chaeryeong said while still kneeling and the white light again hit the invisible shield, Ryujin sure it would be enough to block the attack. That time, though, it didn’t avoid all of the spell’s force and the light still Ryujin’s chest, even if the results were weaker than the usual. For a second year, the Shield Charm wouldn’t be so strong and Chaeryeong seemed to have way more control over her abilities than Ryujin. The Hufflepuff’s student felt like her body was heavier and when she tried to point her wand towards her opponent, her movements were slower than the normal because her arm literally was too rigid to respond to the command. After all, she gave up in get it straight to in the direction of her target, making the next attack hit a spot far away from Chaeryeong’s figure.

‘Steleus!’

‘It’s your opponent you need to hit, Ryujin…’ Taeyeon said monotonously. The Hufflepuff’s student breathed heavily, trying to calm her nerves. Chaeryeong was already pointing her wand again and one more time, Ryujin wasn’t able to dodge it because of the remaining effects of the Full Body-Bind Curse. 

‘Sluglus Eructo!

Well, there was nothing Ryujin could do now that she was burping slimy slugs. Even if she tried to counterattack, it would probably just rebound at her. She raised her hand signaling she’d give up and as soon as she did that, Taeyeon took off her wand and pointed in the girl’s direction, non-verbally stopping the Hufflepuff’s student to keep throwing up.

Students were already making disgusted sounds and laughing at Ryujin’s state. Yeji, Yuna and Julia got to the platform, helping their friend to move out of the there.

‘Very well. Miss Shin was clearly defeated in this duel, but I was really impressed by the shield charm you used. It seems you have ability to charms, after all, but were extremely unlucky to face someone with miss Lee’s ability. She was surely superior and it’s a pleasure to ha-’

‘Wait, professor. I don’t really want to get in the Duel Club.’ Chaeryeong said in her usual quiet voice. ‘I was just trying to help.’

Taeyeon stared at her for a few seconds with her eyebrows furrowed, but shrugged. 

‘Well, then that’s it for today. To all new members of Duel Club, sessions start next week. Every Tuesday during the sunset in this same classroom. All of you are dismissed.’

Students slowly start to get out of the room. Ryujin was too weak to move, so she stayed behind with Yuna, Yeji and Julia. They didn’t really know what to say and the atmosphere was tense, but suddenly Ryujin started laughing — with no emotion, though. 

‘Damn, she really hates me.’ 

‘Jinie…’ Julia said slowly, but Ryujin shook her head.

‘No, it’s ok. I’m ok.’

She couldn’t quite understand the feelings she had inside her chest. She was ashamed of her own performance, of course, but the fact that Chaeryeong apparently just got there to battle with Ryujin made the Hufflepuff’s feel like she was a failure and didn’t belong to the wizarding world at all.

‘Do you want to go outside? Maybe we can play with the giant octopus at the lake…’ Yeji tried, but Ryujin got up and turn her back to her friends.

‘Nah, I’m going to the dorm.’ 

[...]

In her bed, Ryujin was staring at the ceiling with a heavy heart. For the first time in a long time, she wanted to cry. First because she didn’t get in the Duel Club and second because of Chaeryeong. Milky Way felt she was sad and lay down by her side, licking her hand.

‘Hey there, buddy.’ Ryujin murmured to herself. If there was any spell to avoid thinking, she’d make a great use now. Ryujin turned to her side and her eyes darted in the direction of the nightstand. The letter was there, the one she got as Christmas’ present. She got the paper and opened it again — she did it almost everyday. The girl nearly found comfort in the hyacinths. But then the perfume hit her and she finally knew exactly who that smell belonged to.

Ryujin jumped out of her bed (scaring Milky Way in process, making the cat meowing angrily) and ran outside the common room. She had to ask for a few Ravenclaw’s students, but found the person she was looking in the international wizarding section of the library.

‘You sent me the flowers.’ Ryujin affirmed, holding the letter firmly in her hand. Chaeryeong looked at her with those big cold eyes, but didn’t reply. ‘Why?’ The Hufflepuff’s student was angry. Everything was too confusing and she didn’t like to feel that way.

‘Isn’t hyacinths enough to explain the reason?’ Chaeryeong asked calmly, as if she was explaining something real easy to a dumb person. That got on Ryujin’s nerves even more.

‘Listen, I’m tired of whatever game you’re playing. Just be clear with me, ok?’

Chaeryeong sighed and closed her book. Ryujin looked briefly at the cover. It was something about Beauxbatons.

‘I apologize for my actions towards you and your friends that day. And for calling you a muggleborn in a way that sounded like it was an offense.’ The Ravenclaw’s said and the words disarmed Ryujin, all the rage disappearing as soon as she heard them. 

‘You… what?’

‘Are you deaf? I’m not going to repeat it.’ Chaeryeong said annoyed.

‘But the duel… I thought you-’

‘Yes, I am sorry for saying all of that, but I just wanted to show that I’m better than you when it comes to magic.’ The Ravenclaw’s student scoffed.

‘But of course you are, Lee. You were born in the wizarding world.’ Ryujin said exasperated. Chaeryeong furrowed her eyebrows for milliseconds, apparently confused at the other’s words, but her face became as stern as it was before.

‘Goodbye, Shin.’ She said getting up and putting her books inside her bag.

‘We didn’t finish this conversation!’ Ryujin exclaimed and held Chaeryeong’s wrist, trying to stop her. They were frozen for a moment at the sensation of their skins against each other, but the ravenclaw pushed her arm towards herself and out of Ryujin’s reach a few seconds after.

‘Yes, it is. Get out of my way.’ 

Chaeryeong literally ran away, but Ryujin was too affected to even try to stop her again. 

In her way back to the common room, Ryujin’s mind was even more full of thoughts than before the discussion with Chaeryeong. More than ever she didn’t understand why the Ravenclaw’s actions were like that and why she was trying so bad to diminish her. Of course the gesture with the letter was sweet and all, but she still seemed to hate Ryujin? 

The Hufflepuff’s student groaned in frustration. Chaeryeong was infuriating.

[...]

The weekend after exams was everything Ryujin, Julia, Yuna and Yeji needed. They finally got some time to spend together instead of studying and the sensation of having no worries was indescribable. Ryujin got her head so full of the twelve uses of dragon blood and History dates she really didn’t think would be useful in her wizarding life, that thoughts and questions about Chaeryeong didn’t importune her for a long time.

‘Someone said Professor McGonagall is going to make an announcement today.’ Julia commented, resting her head in Yeji’s lap.

‘I wonder what it is. It’s weird to have random banquets to announce something. It’s probably big news.’ Yuna said with her eyes closed.

And finally during the dinner, the girls got to know what the headmistress was planning. Minerva McGonagall silenced the Great Hall with a hand gesture and smiled a bit at the students.

‘We decided to make a project of integration with other magic schools in the next following term. We’re going to select a few students to represent Hogwarts and stay one school year in our fellow magic schools: Beauxbatons and Durmstrang. And like us, they’re going to send their students to stay in Hogwarts. Each student is going to be assigned to one of our own, so we can teach and show them how Hogwarts works individually. The forms are going to be available tomorrow. You can fill it and if we think you fit the role, we’re going to make an interview to select or for you to go to Beauxbatons and Durmstrang, or to be Hogwarts’ guide.’

Excited murmurs filled the Great Hall and Ryujin felt agitated with the idea of being a guide to someone from another school. She didn’t really think about leaving Hogwarts, because her friends were all there and she didn’t want to start all over again.

‘Are you going to apply to be a guide?’ Julia asked smiling like she was reading her friend’s mind.

‘Of course. I wouldn’t miss the chance.’ 

And that way the banquet went on in peace, full of conversations about future exchange students and the ones who would be selected to be Hogwarts’ representatives. 

[...]

The results didn’t take longer to be announced.

‘To Durmstrang the following students were chosen’, Professor McGonagall said. ‘Jungeun Kim from Hufflepuff and Jisun Roh from Ravenclaw.’ The students clapped in unison — Ryujin smiled towards her housemate. McGonagall waited until the fuss came to an end to announce the ones going to Beauxbatons. ‘Nakyung Lee from Slytherin, Jieqiong Zhou from Gryffindor and Chaeryeong Lee from Ravenclaw.’ 

Ryujin raised her eyebrows, surprised at the last name. She started clapping just like the others, but she felt a funny tug in her stomach and she didn’t quite understand the reason. She tried to search for Chaeryeong in the Ravenclaw’s table, but the girl was out of the her eyes’ reach. 

An entire term without Chaeryeong? 

‘Our guides are going to be Minkyeung Kim and Jiwoo Kim from Gryffindor, Ryujin Shin from Hufflepuff, Chaeyoung Son from Ravenclaw and Siyeon Park from Slytherin.’ Ryujin forgot about Chaeryeong when all of her housemates where congratulating her and Julia was hugging her to no end. Ryujin was feeling so happy that she couldn’t put into words her excitement. Finally she’d do something useful to the school and another person.

‘Instructions will be given during your summer break, so you can prepare yourself in the comfort of your houses.’

Ryujin ate the food happily after that. She couldn’t wait for the next term.

[...]

Later that night while scratching Milky Way behind its ears, Ryujin allowed herself to think about the weird feeling in her stomach when Chaeryeong was announced as representative and she decided that she was relieved to be one year away of the girl.

After the Duel Club incident and the discussion that followed when Ryujin realized who sent the flowers, they didn’t have any other time to talk. First because Chaeryeong was doing her best to avoid Ryujin and second because the exams were getting close and the professors were stuffing them with homework and they needed to study, after all. Ryujin gave up in trying to reach the other girl between all the assignments because she clearly wouldn’t force Chaeryeong to speak, even though she was curious and really needed clarification about the Ravenclaw’s student antics.

But now with the girl’s eminent departure, Ryujin decided to drop the topic. It wasn’t worthy her efforts anymore, because the next year they wouldn’t even be in the same country anymore. 

Yet deep down Ryujin hoped that Chaeryeong would come back better and more open to finally befriend her. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As you can see and may have noted in the last chapters, I put my own view of Hogwarts and activities here and there to make the plot better. This one with exchange students is no different! I hope you like it, even though I won’t take long. The third year will be resumed in the next chapter and the one after is already fourth year. Our babies are all grown and everything 🥺
> 
> Comments are always good! Share your thoughts with me!

**Author's Note:**

> Give me your thoughts, suggestions and everything. :D
> 
> And yes, Ryujin hufflepuff. Don’t fight me on that.


End file.
